Guadua angustifolia frames' performance when stiffened with precast adobe panels

Abstract

Studying the structural behaviour of adobe systems in Colombia became extremely relevant after the 1999 earthquake in Armenia due to these systems' good performance during seismic events. These studies were aimed at modernising adobe house construction (by increased use of technology) and providing minimum requirements for them having a suitable degree of seismic resistance, thereby avoiding their collapse. Besides, if it is taken into account that guadua (the main material used in these systems) represents a cheap and profitable material which is socially and culturally-accepted in most of the country, then one has an alternative, unconventional material available which may be suitably used in constructing cheap, functional and safe housing (its limitations and best use having been identified). The foregoing gave rise to the present investigation in which an experimental evaluation was made of a guadua frame system using two types of prefabricated panels in adobe, under horizontal load. Two fullscale frames were built with guadua at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia's School of Engineering in Bogota; the frames' ability to dissipate energy and support inbuilt rigidity (by stiffening them with precast adobe) was tested and strength-deformation curves were experimentally found. Extremely encouraging results were obtained as drift was reduced by roughly 50% and the system's resistance was increased by more than 40%. Mathematical models were also constructed for comparing experimental results with analytical ones.