Use of polymer grid for structural reinforcement in a brick masonry church in Peru

The church of San Martin of Tours in the city of Sechura in the Northern Coast of Peru is a XVIII century colonial building made of brick masonry. On March 15th 2014 two earthquakes of magnitude 6.2 and 6.0 in the Richter scale occurred at 54 km and 25 km from the city of Sechura respectively causing extensive structural damage to the towers, dome, buttresses and vaults. This paper shows the structural intervention after the 2014 earthquakes were polymer mesh adhered to the surface of the brick masonry with a cement/lime mortar is placed as external reinforcement in the intrados and extrados parts of the vaults, the buttresses over the arches and the lateral walls of the transept. This innovative reinforcing technique has been complemented with ties made of stainless steel in the transept walls.