Andrzej Malczyk

Rehabilitation of the highest wooden tower in Poland

Of about a dozen wooden telecommunication towers over 100 m high that were erected in Europe before the Second World War, the tower in Gliwice, Poland, is the only one still surviving. The tower was built as a spatial truss from larch wood of very high quality. Because of the size and importance of the structure, a wide range or measurements was required, particularly concerning the shape and dimensions of the structure. As a result of observations and calculations, it was decided to strengthen some bars and to apply a modern protective coating to the entire structure. This is the reason why transverse strengthening of split wooden bars by means of carbon fibre strips was used.