Iranian ‘staircase’ villages: structural and seismic issues

Abstract

Iran's rural ‘staircase’ villages are located on the lower slopes of mountains. The unique architectural forms of these villages, with the roofs of lower buildings forming the courtyards of upper buildings, make them both interesting and attractive. This paper outlines the general characteristics of Iranian staircase villages, including the structural forms of the buildings, their seismic vulnerability and post-earthquake reconstruction challenges. The performance of staircase villages during earthquakes and related events, and the aspects of existing construction methods in rural areas are assessed in this study. The poor seismic performance of traditional building roofs and supporting walls has been noted. Recommendations on key points of failure and access for rescue issues are addressed here, leading to recommendations on policies related to the seismic upgrading of these rural structures.