Building codes for earthen buildings in seismic areas: The peruvian experience

Every time a strong earthquake occurs in areas where building with earth is common, there is widespread damage, economic loss and human casualties, caused by the collapse of vulnerable earthen houses. In some cases, as in Peru, the academic and professional communities have reacted against this dreadful situation by conducting research to find adequate seismic reinforcement alternatives for earthen buildings, and the resulting solutions have been implemented in a building code. This paper presents the effects of earthquakes on earthen dwellings and the technical solutions for seismic reinforcement developed at the Catholic University of Peru. The Peruvian Adobe Code is then briefly described, with critical comments on some design considerations. Finally, the authors share some thoughts on the usefulness of building codes for earthen building in developing countries.