Modelación estática no lineal en fachadas de adobe con cargas sísmicas

Abstract

The Historic Center consists of approximately 43% of colonial houses built with adobe, highlighting the historical and cultural significance of this material. However, they also represent a potential danger in the face of seismic activity that may affect the region. This research focuses on analyzing the behavior of adobe facades in the Historic Center of Cuenca under seismic loads, such as out-of-plane failure. To address the variability of adobe properties, a damage-based micromodel is employed, and a methodology for homogenizing these properties using Representative Volume Elements (RVEs) is developed. These properties are applied in the analysis of typical single-story facades. Finally, modal and nonlinear analyses are conducted to evaluate the structural response of the studied facades. The results obtained show that the proposed methodology provides an acceptable representation of adobe masonry properties and it can be applied in real-life situations. It is confirmed that the most significant vibration mode is the out-of-plane mode. It is concluded that two-opening facades exhibit greater seismic resistance and a more rigid behavior with minor deformations compared to three-opening facades. These findings contribute to a better understanding of these constructions and emphasize the importance of future research in the field to enhance seismic performance and heritage preservation.