This book contains most of the papers presented at the Ninth International Conference on Structural Studies, Repairs and Maintenance of Heritage Architecture. The Conference was held in Malta, a state smaller than many of the cities that this Conference has visited, and yet that is packed, in the full meaning of the word, with a history of heritage architecture that spans nearly six millennia - as far as we currently know!

The islands of Malta have limited material resources, in fact, only one - limestone, and a rather soft one at that. However, out of this resource, our ancestor builders have fashioned the habitat for their lives, as these unfolded and changed over the centuries. The problems and efforts that are being made to repair, restore, conserve and protect such limestone architectural heritage are considerable and mirror similar problems faced by other architects, engineers, curators, art historians, surveyors and archaeologists in other countries throughout the world.

The papers featured are from specialists throughout the world and divided into the following topics: Heritage architecture and historical aspects; Structural issues; Seismic behaviour and vibrations; Seismic vulnerability analysis of historic centres in Italy; Material characterisation; Protection and preservation; Maintenance; Surveying and monitoring; Simulation modelling; and Case studies.