Seismic protection of earthen vernacular and historical constructions

A technique for the seismic protection of vernacular and historical earthen buildings is being investigated at the PUCP. This technique consists of the repair of seismic damage via mud injection and the reinforcement of earthen walls with a mesh made of nylon ropes. A repaired and reinforced full-scale adobe model was tested on the PUCP's unidirectional shaking table under strong dynamic excitation. Although its walls suffered significant damage, the mesh reinforcement proved to be effective in preserving structural integrity and stability of the adobe construction. Currently, a study is being performed on the possibility of using simple knots instead of metal turnbuckles to join the ropes, and numerical and analytical studies are being conducted with the aim to develop design guidelines for the proposed seismic reinforcement.