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Adobe is a traditional masonry made of sundried earthen bricks and mud mortar. Despite a millennial history of buildings of architectural value, adobe still connotes a so called 'not engineered' construction type. Namely, the material and structural properties of adobe are still not entirely addressed, resulting in an equally uncertain normative framework for adobe buildings design. However, over the last ten years, a large research program has been conducted in the Netherlands to qualify the material and structural properties of this sustainable building technology. In this paper, a critical analysis of the current normative body for the material characterization of adobe is addressed. Guidelines, prescriptions and requirements related to test methods, materials selection and properties contained in the available building codes for adobe around the world are assessed. A critical normative review is performed using the most recent literature produced on adobe, with particular regards to the results of experimental tests and numerical simulations performed by the authors. On the basis of these findings, some issues have been identified in relation to the knowledge currently condensed in the norms for adobe. A series of programmatic guidelines is aimed at orienting future research on adobe as well as fostering the process of updating its current normative body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents shake-table tests which were performed on two 1:3 reduce-scaled adobe masonry models confined with vertical and horizontal bands. The model AM1 consisted of bands (tie beam) at sill, lintel and eave levels, and lightly reinforced concrete (RC) columns at the corners. The model AM2 was similar to AM1 except that RC columns at the corners were not provided in this model. The models were subjected to sinusoidal base motions for studying their seismic performance. The lateral force-deformation capacity curves for both the models were developed and were bi-linearized to compute the response parameters including stiffness, strength, ductility and response modification factor (R). Seismic performance levels of both the models were defined and their seismic performance assessment was carried out to evaluate their suitability in different seismic zones. The use of vertical columns in the AM1 model considerably increased its lateral strength as compared to the AM2 model. Although R factor of 2.0 has been recommended for both the models, seismic performance of the AM1 model was found better in all seismic zones due to high lateral strength of this model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adobe is one of the oldest and most widely used building materials in the World. In the region of Aveiro, Portugal, traditional adobe construction represents about one-third of the existing buildings, some of which are of great architectural and patrimonial value. There is, however, a significant deterioration of several of these buildings, which need to be refurbished. A major difficulty for those involved in the process of structural assessment is the almost absence of references to adobe masonry mechanical properties. In this context, it is important to carry out the mechanical characterization of adobe masonry. Therefore, compression and shear tests were performed on adobe specimens from Aveiro's region load-bearing adobe walls. Tests were carried out for two moisture contents (saturated and unsaturated) in order to analyze the influence of the frequent moisture conditions in the mechanical behaviour of the adobe masonries and their components. Experimental results allowed determining mechanical properties of adobe loadbearing walls, whose reference values can be used in their safety conditions assessment. It was also possible to formulate corrected equations of the Eurocode 6 for compressive and shear strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction of marine (tides and waves) and fluvial processes determines the sedimentary fill of coastal systems in the fluvial-tomarine (FTM) transition zone. Despite frequent recognition of tidal and wave influence in modern and ancient systems, our understanding of the relative importance of marine processes and their impact on mud deposition and reservoir architecture is limited. This study combined subsurface field observations and numerical simulations to investigate the relative importance of river flow, tides, waves, and mud input in governing the sedimentary fill in funnel-shaped basins along the FTM transition. Model simulations show a self-forming bar-built estuary with dynamic channels and sandy bars flanked by mud flats, which is in agreement with trends observed in nature. From three-dimensional virtual sedimentary successions, statistical tendencies for mud distribution and thickness were derived for the spectrum of marine and fluvial processes, and these values provide quantitative information on the net-to-gross ratio and mud architecture. The relative influence of marine and fluvial processes leads to a predictable facies organization and architecture, with muddier and more heterogeneous sediments toward the flanks. For the first time, our simulations allow the sedimentary fill in basins along the FTM transition to be related explicitly to hydrodynamic conditions, providing new insights into the morphosedimentary evolution of coastal systems, with implications for sequence stratigraphy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past earthquakes have demonstrated that historical vaulted adobe buildings are highly vulnerable to seismic actions. Hence, it is crucial for such building typologies to be evaluated in terms of seismic capacity. To this end, this article deals with the seismic performance of historical vaulted adobe houses from the city of Yazd, Iran as one of the seismically active areas of the world and possessing a very rich adobe heritage. Thus, and based on a detailed geometrical survey, a representative sample of adobe houses from Yazd was studied using a simplified in-plane analysis based on three geometric indexes. Concerning the out-of-plane behavior, a deeper assessment was conducted by performing a numerical study, where the main influential parameters on the seismic behavior of vaulted adobe buildings were considered. The numerical analyses were carried out by adopting the limit analysis theory implemented in the Block2D software. The results obtained indicate the safe in-plane behavior of most of the houses and the safe out-of-plane response of the sample under gravitational loads. However, the sample out-of-plane safety under earthquake-induced loads seems to be a matter of concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adobe constructions account for a significant portion of the built heritage, associated with early building techniques, material accessibility and low-cost. Nonetheless, adobe buildings, due to their low mechanical properties and overturning resistance, are subject to early structural damage, such as cracking, separation of structural elements and, possibly, collapse in areas of high seismic hazard. The lack of maintenance and absence of adequate retrofitting techniques usually intensifies the loss of historic fabric. The current paper, aims at the structural assessment and seismic safety, in current conditions, of the Church of Kuño Tambo, a religious adobe structure of the 17th century, in Cusco region, in Peru. The inspection and diagnosis involved sonic testing and damage mapping, while ambient vibration tests revealed the modal response of the structure. The assessment of seismic vulnerability, together with the necessity of retrofitting measures were verified through nonlinear static and pushover parametric analyses, complemented with a macro-block limit analysis and a performance based assessment, under local seismic criteria. A more realistic response from dynamically induced ground motions was performed, by a nonlinear time history analysis, according to the Eurocode 8 framework. Through an integrated approach, in situ inspection, testing, numerical and analytical modelling are associated under the scope of reproducing the existing structural damage, the sequence of inelastic behavior and verification of the necessity of retrofitting measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the use of clay-based grout injections for the repair of adobe masonry constructions. Relevant data from the literature is reviewed, whilst the effectiveness of a laboratory-prepared clay-based grout is assessed through an experimental program. A 1:2 scaled adobe model building, previously subjected to a series of lateral loading cycles resulting in significant cracking damage, was injected with the clay-based grout and re-tested. The mix design of the aforementioned grout was based on the use of the same soil composing the earth masonry materials, hence ensuring compatibility between repairing and original materials. Although the grouting repair did not significantly alter the observed damage pattern after re-testing, it generally succeeded in preventing failure propagation through the injected crack paths. Furthermore, the injection of clay-based grout proved to be a repair technique capable of partly restoring the initial stiffness and load-bearing capacity of adobe masonry. The high strength recovery ratios recorded under the tests using static monotonic horizontal loading are particularly encouraging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth has been a traditional building material to construct structures in many different continents. In particular, adobe buildings are widely diffused in South America, and in Peru where form part of the cultural identity of the nation. Nowadays, the knowledge of existing adobe buildings is far from a complete understanding of the constructive system and a structural health monitoring (SHM) can quantify and reduce uncertainties regarding their structural performance without causing damage to the buildings. In this process, the implementation of automatic tools for feature extraction of modal parameters is desirable. In particular, the automation is important because, during a long-term monitoring, a huge amount of data is recorded and the direct check of the data of the user is not possible. The present work is focused on the development of an automated procedure for managing the results obtained from the parametric identification method, in particular from the Data-Driven Stochastic Subspace Identification method, which requires an automatic interpretation of stabilization diagrams. The work presents a fully automated modal identification methodology based on the following steps: (i) digital signal pre-processing of the recorded data; (ii) modal parameter identification using models with varying dimensions; (iii) automatic analysis of the stabilization diagram with the application of soft and hard validation criteria and the use of hierarchical clustering approach to eliminate the spurious modes; and (iv) automatic choice of the most representative values of the estimated parameters of each clustered mode: natural frequency, damping and mode shape. The developed algorithm was firstly tested with an inverted steel pendulum to check the accuracy and sensitivity, and subsequently, an earthen wall built in PUCP Structure Laboratory was analysed to determine its dynamic behaviour. The developed algorithm shows high percentages of detected frequencies and high sensitivity to the environmental and structural changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present hydrocode simulations of penetration and perforation of adobe targets by high-hardness spherical steel projectiles. For the description of adobe we employ the RHT concrete model, which describes strength and failure depending on pressure, Lode angle, and strain rate in combination with a porous equation of state. In order to apply this model to adobe we develop a parameter set partially based on material test data. Other parameters are obtained through engineering assumptions, and their importance is assessed by sensitivity analyses. Ballistic reference experiments are reproduced well by our simulations especially regarding residual velocities of projectiles perforating finite-thickness targets. Therein, we also properly capture the deformation of the projectile and the damage of the target. Simulations of the penetration into semi-infinite targets are in acceptable agreement with the ballistic data. However, a significant influence of target setup and boundary conditions on the resulting penetration depths is discovered. The residual velocities obtained by perforation simulations do not show such sensitivity but considerably depend on the yielding threshold of the projectile. Hence, the latter property of the projectile must be correctly included in the simulation in order to be able to draw conclusions on the ability of the material model and the model parameters to describe the target. As for other building and geological materials, the pore compaction is revealed to be an important form of energy dissipation also for adobe and is hence an essential ingredient for the description of the ballistic performance of this material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adobe construction was very common in Aveiro district, Portugal, until the middle of the 20th century. At present, there are still many adobe buildings in use, a significant percentage of which have social, cultural, and architectural value. Many of these buildings, however, are in a poor state of conservation. The existing problems are partially the result of a lack of knowledge about the materials and building systems traditionally used. To contribute to this knowledge, a visual and dimensional inspection of the facade walls of twenty one adobe buildings located in Anadia, Murtosa, and Aveiro municipalities, in Aveiro district, was conducted. This article presents a description and analysis of the construction details, common defects, and state of conservation of the facade walls studied. This work aims to contribute with preliminary information that may help support the preservation and rehabilitation of existing adobe buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In China, more than 100 million people live in earth-based dwellings currently. However, there have been few studies on measures for improving indoor thermal environment and decreasing energy consumption of adobe buildings systematically. So, this paper studied the measures mentioned above. Firstly, parameters such as indoor thermal environment, PMV, thermal properties and thermodynamic disfigurement of building envelope were measured and analyzed on a quadrangle adobe dwelling in Gansu, China. Then, three optimization schemes (transforming layout only, transforming external walls only and changing the two simultaneously) were put forward. Finally, the thermal environment and energy consumption of the optimization schemes were analyzed by numerical simulation, and the cost benefit analysis of them was carried out. Among those schemes, scheme of changing layout and external walls simultaneously leads to the best performance in both the two respects mentioned above, while scheme of transforming layout only gives the worst performance. But, when both taking consideration of economy and energy saving, the preferred plan is scheme of changing layout only, and the worst is scheme of transforming layout and external walls simultaneously. This study has been conducted to give guidance when constructing or reconstructing quadrangle adobe dwelling, which is distinctive and historical in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the University of San Francisco Architecture & Community Design Program, the Architectural Engineering curriculum utilizes a Leica ScanStation C10 3D Laser Scanner to document historic structures and monitor their structural behavior. Some of the oldest structures in the State of California are the historic adobe missions built by Native Americans and Spanish Catholic missionaries between 1769 and 1833. California is a region of very high seismic activity, and the adobe structures have withstood significant earthquakes and other erosive or destructive forces over their lifetime. However, they are sensitive structures in need of active preservation and very few original adobe buildings remain. Working together with local structural engineers who specialize in seismic restoration of historic adobe structures, USF students have conducted laser scanning at Mission Santa Cruz and Mission San Miguel Arcángel, creating extensive 3D point cloud records, and developing architectural drawings which establish the current state of these structures for the purposes of historic preservation and structural study. Because of the delicate and irregular nature of these structures, the 3D laser scanner is the most appropriate tool for detailed yet non-invasive documentation. Completed in 1821, Mission San Miguel Arcángel suffered significant damage in the nearby 2003 San Simeon earthquake. The original adobe structure has undergone partial repairs such as banding at the top of the walls of the Sacristy. Using the 3D laser scanner, thorough scans are stitched together to create full interior and exterior 3D point cloud files, which are processed in Leica Cyclone and Autodesk Recap, and then imported into AutoCAD to create detailed line drawings of plans, elevations and sections of significant areas. Wall lean and other indicators of crack progress and deterioration are areas of special focus. With these records, a structural monitoring program has begun to document the condition of the buildings in wet seasons and dry seasons, and to determine the long-term effect of seismic restorations which have been implemented. This paper presents a detailed account of the process, pedagogical value and structural and architectural lessons learned over the course of the 3D scanning of these valuable heritage landmarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building with earth is widespread and still mostly based on traditional experiences. Increasing demands in energy consumption reduction during the construction and exploitation of buildings put more and more in the focus the good features of houses built with earth.Testing of earth mixtures with other natural materials showed that it can get even a quality of bricks, which indicates the lack of appropriate standards for this type of construction. Testing are performed with mixes of earth and straw intended forrammed earth and adobe construction. This method of preparation and construction applies in alternate construction with straw bales and it is also used in the construction of prefabricated panels with wooden frame filled with a mixture earth and straw where it is possible to build prefabricated structures or as a filling of wall screens in skeletal structural system of larger dimensions and number of floors. Laboratory tests have shown that the mechanical and thermal properties of this material fulfilled the high demands for the construction of modern buildings. Based on the presented results it can proceed the development and testing of structural elements for that kind of building. Also, based on results, in the article the authors presented possibilities of architectural design of various building possibilities of objects, as practical examples of prefabrication applied in some countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studied the unsaturated shear strength properties of a soil with the gradation characteristics of the material typically used in adobe construction. The main goal was to predict the unsaturated shear strength of the adobe soil using the soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC) and the effective cohesion and friction angle of the material. Specimens were trimmed from adobe bricks made according to the traditional technique of the southwestern region of the United States. The SWCC of the adobe soil was constructed using data obtained with the filter paper test. The effective cohesion and friction angle were found to be 11.7 kPa and 31.4°, respectively, from the results of consolidated drained direct shear tests. In addition, unconsolidated undrained direct shear tests were done on specimens at different water contents to determine the apparent shear strength parameters. The predicted shear strength was found to increase significantly with decreasing water content, and the strength increase was approximately 350 kPa between near saturation condition and water content of 6.01%. The predicted failure envelopes in the shear strength–matric suction plane were nonlinear; their initial slope was close to the (saturated) effective friction angle, and the slope decreased as the suction increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Aveiro district, Portugal, adobe was a construction material extensively used until the middle of the twentieth century. Presently, many adobe constructions are still in use, presenting important cultural, social, and architectural value. Many of these constructions, however, are in a poor state of conservation, displaying severe structural anomalies. This negligence is in part due to a lack of knowledge concerning the mechanical behavior and properties of adobe masonry. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to this knowledge. Ten full-scale adobe wall panels were constructed in the laboratory with adobes collected from an existing construction and with mortar formulated with the composition traditionally used. Five wall panels were tested in simple compression and five wall panels in diagonal compression. From these tests it was possible to determine and evaluate the stress-strain relationships, strength, deformation, stiffness, and damage pattern of the adobe masonry walls. This knowledge can support the adequate rehabilitation and retrofitting of existing buildings, the calibration of numerical models, and even the design of new adobe constructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a comprehensive overview of the techniques available for the seismic retrofitting of adobe buildings. It analyzes these techniques’ viability from a structural engineering standpoint and evaluates their suitability in the context of historic preservation. Analysis was based on an exhaustive review of studies addressing retrofitting techniques of earthen structures, as well as consultation with field experts. The guiding principles of conservation relating to the structural reinforcement of monuments were taken into account. Traditional techniques that enhance the stability of the building, such as wooden ring beams, wooden ties interconnecting parallel walls, corner keys, and the addition of buttresses were found to be effective solutions since they employ compatible and low-cost materials such as earth and wood. When these techniques prove insufficient, minimally invasive measures such as introducing a plywood diaphragm, horizontal steel rods, a geomesh covered with mud rendering or a strapping system can be appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The target of this study is to systematically collect soil based adobe blocks that are obtained as the result of the excavations and to develop the methods of examination of that material. In line with this target, within the scope of the restoration project for the temple, which has been exposed in Ayanis Fort excavations, which is 500 m northern of Van Province, Ayanis/Agarti Village, the geological and chemical structure of the soil based adobe blocks has been analyzed with SEM/EDS and XRD methods, the adobe material combination has been interpreted and preliminary intervention principles and restoration project have been prepared for the excavation pits with the purpose of in-situ conservation/freezing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historic and therefore older adobe buildings, because of the nature of their construction, always suffer severe damage during major earthquakes. This paper describes the rehabilitation of an almost 100-year-old adobe church using welded-steel mesh as a stability retrofit measure. The objectives of the rehabilitation were to create a structure capable of surviving a strong seismic event and to do so without damaging the original dynamics and architectural character of the building. The church has 7.9-m-high lateral adobe walls and a timber-truss roof system. The slenderness ratio of the walls is . Since its rehabilitation, this church has successfully withstood 16 earthquakes with magnitudes from 4.1 to 6.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Universitaria is the property of Universidad de Guanajuato/Acta Universitaria and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Adobe is one of the oldest construction materials that is still used in many seismic countries, and different construction techniques are found around the world. The adobe material is characterized as a brittle material; it has acceptable compression strength but it has poor performance under tensile and shear loading conditions. Numerical modelling is an alternative approach for studying the nonlinear behaviour of masonry structures such as adobe. The lack of a comprehensive experimental database on the adobe material properties motivated the study developed here. A set of a reference material parameters for the adobe were obtained from a calibration of numerical models based on a quasi-static cyclic in-plane test on full-scale adobe wall representative of the typical Peruvian adobe constructions. The numerical modelling, within the micro and macro modelling approach, lead to a good prediction of the in-plane seismic capacity and of the damage evolution in the adobe wall considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper evaluates the failures of masonry and adobe buildings during the June 23, 2011, Maden (Elazığ) earthquake. Maden is a township approximately 80km away from Elazığ city in Turkey. The magnitude of the earthquake was announced as ML =5.3 by the Earthquake Division of the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (DEMA). Most of masonry and adobe buildings in Maden and the neighboring settlements had been damaged severely at this moderate earthquake. In this paper, reasons of damages and failures of these structures which are lack of engineering services were examined and explained in detail. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The first aim of this paper is to provide an illustration of fabric survey, damage assessment, and structural consolidation of the mud brick structures of Al Ain, an oasis in the United Arab Emirates. The buildings mostly date to the turn of the last century and it was concluded that damage of such vernacular architecture is represented by thermal movement, structural cracks, leaning walls, granular disintegration, erosion and creation of preferential channels, and coving. Furthermore, damage caused by animals and by recent interventions was also surveyed. The second aim of the paper is to illustrate the structural consolidation of mud brick masomy by explaining the work undertaken in the mosque of Al Jahili (1891-1898). This includes eroded wall repair, window filling, repair of cracks with the stitching technique, wall top consolidation, and roof repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthbag construction is a sustainable, low-cost, housing option for developing countries. Earthbag structures are built of individual soil-filled fabric bags (i.e., sand bags) stacked in a running bond pattern. Once stacked, earthbags are compacted and the soil inside the bags is dried in-place to form earthen bricks. Barbed wires are placed between each course to affect shear transfer within the wall. Results of an out-of-plane load test on a full-scale earthbag wall are presented in this paper. The wall was subjected to out-of-plane pressure up to 3.16 kPa, which resulted in plastic deformations up to 50 mm. The wall did not collapse during loading. Wall behavior and force transfer mechanisms are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a densely packed, streetless village such as Neolithic Çatalhöyük in central Anatolia, it is argued in this article that variations in mudbrick recipes were used to mark social identity and autonomy through the performance of building. Geoarchaeological analysis of mudbricks established that cultural modifications were used to create social differences between neighbouring houses. Although mudbricks were ultimately invisible objects, hidden behind multiple layers of plaster, the processes of mudbrick manufacture and house construction were performed in the public domain allowing opportunities for individual expression. These results are situated within a larger practice of hiding and burying meaningful objects at Çatalhöyük, where unseen objects had as much power and affect as any object on display. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Stratum Plus Journal is the property of P.P. Stratum plus and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study investigates patterns in the process of construction during a period of urbanization early in the Middle Bronze Age of the southern Levant. Detailing the manufacture and use of sun-dried mud bricks in this period's architecture, this study presents a hypothetical reconstruction of urban building processes based on data collected and analyzed from three case-study sites: Dan, Megiddo, and Pella. A number of important considerations are discussed as part of this reconstruction, such as strategies of brick manufacture, rates of labor, and costs of construction. Straw temper used in brick manufacture is highlighted as a particularly important aspect of the construction process, since it provides a tangible connection between the agricultural system and the mud bricks that form the building blocks of urban architecture. Likewise, the chaîne opértoire of the construction process links such varied components of urbanization as monumental architecture, rural agriculture, and people, while the analyses and reconstruction presented in this study help render such components perceptible within the archaeological record by looking at issues of specialized production and standardization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquakes, which are unavoidable natural phenomena in Turkey, have often produced economic and social disaster. The latest destructive earthquakes happened in Van city. Van, Turkey, earthquakes with M = 7.2 occurred on 23 October 2011 at 13:41 (local time), whose epicenter was about 16 km north of Van (Tabanlıvillage) and M = 5.6 on 9 November 2011 epicentered near the town of Edremit south of Van in eastern Turkey and caused the loss of life and heavy damages. Both earthquakes killed 644 people and 2608 people were injured. Approximately 4000 buildings collapsed or were seriously damaged. The majority of the damaged structures were seismically insufficient, unreinforced masonry and adobe buildings in rural areas. In this paper, site surveys of the damaged masonry and adobe buildings are presented and the reasons for the caused damages are discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of APUNTES - Journal of Cultural Heritage Studies is the property of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of APUNTES - Journal of Cultural Heritage Studies is the property of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Khiva is a UNESCO Worm Heritage site with ancient mudbrick buildings and a complete city wall. These are threatened from below by water and salt, and we seek to understand how the deterioration is happening and can be stopped. We have done investigations in the subsoil over several years to determine that destruction is caused by waterlogging, shifts in the ground, termites, and other damage. The damage has been caused by agricultural practices, especially leak), irrigation systems. Some of Khiva's buildings are becoming structurally unsound from water damage. Our studies at several sites confirm that water diversion will be necessary to prevent further infiltration of salt and water. Khiva's legacy is contained in the ancient buildings which are an important part of Silk Road history. Our research contributes to the understanding how to protect mudbrick buildings from environmental factors and deformation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation of earthen sites poses challenging questions regarding conservation methods and historic preservation. The National Park Service and other site managers have to strike a balance between conserving the sites while presenting them to the public: there is no ideal choice. It is impossible to prevent a ruin from continuing to deteriorate without changing its appearance or its status as a ruin. Therefore, the conservation of historic earthen ruins should perhaps be more appropriately thought of as a process which slows the pace of decay, rather than suspending or preventing it. This paper looks at over one hundred years (from 1889 to the present) of site conservation at a variety of earthen historic and archaeological sites in the American Southwest. In each case, the National Park Service manages and treats the earthen ruins. The main categories of conservation techniques, and the preservation questions that these techniques raise, are examined along with their advantages and disadvantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Djenne Mosque in Mali, West Africa, the largest freestanding earthen structure in the world. Focusing on UNESCO's declaration of the mosque as a World Heritage Site in 1988, the author argues that the building's protection actually undermines its ever-changing nature as a mud structure that must be regularly maintained and reshaped.

This article examines a composite construction system concerning a Greek historic dwelling. Various aspects of current proposed interventions are discussed illustrating the subsequent restoration based on the architectural and structural analysis of the dwelling and its construction methods and building materials, as well as on laboratory tests on the properties of its main construction material, the adobe (mud bricks). In addition, the main causes of the current weathering of the dwelling are reviewed, with primary focus on the various mechanisms that affect the load-bearing walls of adobe bricks, a local construction material that endured the climatic condition of the region and kept the building extant for more than 100 years. The restoration-reuse proposal aims to integrate the dwelling in contemporary life through appropriate interventions so that its architectural, typological, functional, and constructional characteristics will be preserved, based on an internationally accepted framework of principles regarding historic architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The knowledge of the morphological and mechanical properties of masonry walls is very important for the refurbishment of ancient buildings, particularly when the requirements of both structural safety and historical preservation must be fulfilled. The masonry is not of homogenous material: its mechanical properties depend on stones, mortar, and texture which are very variable due to their dependence on the historical periods and the geographical area of the erection. For this reason, a deep knowledge of masonries built in different sites and historical periods is essential in order to evaluate both the capacities of bearing vertical load and the seismic vulnerability of the masonry structure. Three fundamental typologies of tuff masonry have been defined: they are the characteristics of different historical periods from the XVI to the XX century. The models are in full-scale in order to reproduce the three defined chronotypes. Original tuff stones quarried in the corresponding historical period, mortars similar to the original ones, reproduced according to ancient documents and original constructive techniques have been used for the construction of the specimens. Compression tests performed in displacement control have been carried out on the masonry models in order to determine the maximum resistance of the material and the corresponding strain, the ultimate strain and corresponding residual strength. In this paper, the procedure used for making the specimens and for experimentally evaluating the mechanical properties of post-medieval Neapolitan yellow tuff masonry are illustrated and the obtained results, even in terms of plastic capacity of these kinds of masonry, are reported. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Adobe is a construction technique that uses raw earth mixed and moulded to form sun-dried blocks to realize a bearing wall. The recent discovery of adobe walls belonging to a Republican domus sited in Suasa (Ancona, Italy) was the starting point of the present work. The research was developed through an experimental approach, in order to characterize the mechanical behavior of this type of walls: firstly some adobe blocks similar to the original ones were reproduced by using the soil directly came from the archaeological site near the adobe walls and adding straw to reduce hygrometric shrinkage and coarse sand, taken from a local quarry, as a stabilizer, as Romans were used to do. Then, after a seasoning period of 4 months, four adobe walls were produced to be tested by compression and shear. From compression tests, maximum strength, first cracking compression stress, Young modulus and breaking manner were evaluated. As well, compression results show a possible two-storey structure of the earthen Republican domus. In fact, it appears that the stress from the two-storey load analysis is lower than the first cracking compression stress. From the shear tests, a proportional law seems to regulate the relation between the maximum value of the mean tangential tensions and the vertical compression the sample is subjected to. This could be the starting point for a future seismic analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Collapse of adobe buildings during an earthquakes with various earthquake intensities is analyzed using the 3-dimensional distinct element method code developed by the first author. Firstly, we evaluate structural damage with damage index, interior-space damage with w score, and human casualties in the collapsing buildings with three casualty criteria. Secondly, we investigate relationships between the earthquake intensity, the structural damage, the interior-space damage, and the casualties. It is found that the casualties have stronger correlation with the interior-space damage than the structural damage, and three vulnerability functions, namely, structural, interior-space and casualty vulnerability functions, are proposed. Effects of reinforcing methods on these functions are also examined. Finally, a series of analytical procedures to develop vulnerability functions and to estimate casualties using the functions are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Cerrillos is an Early to Middle Paracas civic-ceremonial site located in the upper Ica Valley of Perú. The site is known for its finely plastered adobe architecture, beautifully decorated ceramics, and complex textiles, many of which are decorated with camelid hair. Cerrillos was located in a strategically important place where the mountains meet the coastal desert and the Ica River bends south, a likely intersection in a road system that connected Cerrillos to contemporary sites in the Paracas region and beyond. This paper focuses on several early textiles, ceramics, and other artifacts, including ceramic palettes used for gold working and wooden earspools, that suggest that Cerrillos was involved in a cultural phenomenon or interaction sphere that linked sites as far away was Chavín de Huántar through the interchange of goods, beliefs, and practices. The paper presents a complete description of the textiles excavated at Cerrillos between 1999 and 2002, focusing on two fabric fragments with images of the Staff Deity and one with an abstract Chavín-like design. The ceramics discussed in the text demonstrate the wide variety of styles found at Cerrillos, including some that resemble the Janabarriu of Chavín de Huántar and several others that are either not Paracas or an Early Paracas style that has never been previously described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adobe has been used as a construction material for hundreds of years, and even today, a great number of people still live in adobe houses in various parts of the world. This is for reasons of local availability and because buildings constructed from adobe can create healthier environments. As a case study, this paper analyses a building complex made primarily of adobe masonry and reinforced concrete. The complex, a country club located 35km from Istanbul, consists of a 19-room hotel, a restaurant, and a horse stable. Both the hotel and restaurant were constructed in two flats of locally produced adobe and have been in service since 1998. This paper describes the construction techniques and methods used to produce the adobe. It presents experimental tests of the mechanical and physical properties of the material, comparing to local construction standards and to the properties of other common building materials. Finally, the paper evaluates the suitability of adobe masonry construction for the Istanbul area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is focused on the jointly use of satellite Quickbird (QB) images and Ground Probing Radar (GPR) for assessing their capability in the detection of archaeological adobe structures (sun-dried earth material). Such detection is particularly complex. due to the low contrast generally existing between the archaeological features and the background. Two significant test areas were investigated in the Ceremonial Centre of Cahuachi (in the Nasca territory, Southern Peru) dating back to 6th century BC to 4th century AD. Our results showed that both satellite and GPR data provided valuable indications for unearthing precious ancient remains. Our preliminary analyses pointed out that the integrated use of non destructive remote sensing techniques has high potentiality for its important scientific implications and for its significant contributions to cultural resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the concept of modernism in mud. This paper focuses on the observations of R. M. Schindler at the Taos Pueblo which is virtually a country of adobe construction. In 1921, Rudolf Schindler has sent a letter to Richard Neutra expressing that American architecture does not exist at all. He all sees buildings filled with sun-baked adobe buildings which were introduced by Spanish and Mexican successors.

This is a first synopsis of the research that we have realized at the Templete de Limoncarro recognized as a site of the Cupisnique culture. At this Templete we have excavated five times and identified two phases of construction. The structures of the first phase, La Calera, are very few, while at the second phase, Limoncarro, are constructed a sunken court and three platforms, which are the objects of frequent repair. Some structures of conic adobe at the platforms represent faces of animals, which seems to be of the Cupisnique iconography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Adobe is a construction technique that uses soil (a mixture of clay, sand and water), stabiliser and binder as raw materials that are mixed and moulded to form sun-dried blocks. The objective of this study was to assess how various factors affected the dynamic response of the thermal performance of adobe constructions. On the basis of a bibliographical survey the main factors that affect the thermal behaviour of adobe constructions were ascertained. Dynamic thermal simulation software, thermal analysis system (TAS), was employed to simulate the performance of adobe constructions using synthetic weather data to reproduce the climatic conditions for three regions from different latitudes in Mexico. An orthogonal array Taguchi was used to define the range of models required to test the various relevant performance parameters and to relate these through observed behaviour patterns. With this tool it was possible to develop an understanding of the complex interactions between variables. In particular, dynamic thermal simulation allowed an understanding of the time lag in delivering/storing energy to and from the indoor environment within the adobe constructions and how this affected the diurnal variations of internal temperatures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the stages of O'odham architecture. It emphasizes that schooling helped an end to a stage of O'odham architecture. The age of sticks in O'odham architecture is featured. Stick means a length of wood in its natural state. It also explores the age of adobe. It is asserted that this age was a good time for the O'odham.