###Impact of Moisture-Inducing Climatic Hazards on Seismic Performance of Masonry Structures
Project ID: 2228bd1196 (You will need this ID for your application)
Research Theme: Engineering
UCL Lead department: Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering (CEGE)
Lead Supervisor: Yasemin Didem Aktas
Project Summary:
Climate change is changing the normal and extreme weather events globally. This often transpires in the form of a heightened moisture impact on the built environment through more frequent and intense precipitations. Moisture is an agent of deterioration and significantly impacts the mechanical performance of porous building materials/components. The proposed study aims to identify/quantify the impact of moisture-inducing climatic hazards on the seismic vulnerability of masonry structures. This will be achieved through a holistic methodology incorporating lab testing, field testing and modelling. The experimental phase will quantify the strength/stiffness degradation associated with cyclic and prolonged exposure to moisture at the material and component scales. The impact of climatic factors on the vibrational characteristics of a number of case buildings will be quantified through repeated dynamic testing before&after major weather events. Finally, analytical models validated in light of lab and field data will be used to further-detail the seismic fragility under different levels of exposure. This interdisciplinary project is important/novel as it brings together two scientific fields conventionally handled in isolation: moisture in buildings studies and earthquake engineering, to redefine seismic risk. The integration of environmental and mechanical considerations is vital for holistic and more effective risk management protocols. The student to undertake this work should come from an earthquake engineering background, ideally with experience in structural health monitoring (SHM) applications, and be able to efficiently synthesise diverse disciplines. The project managed to secure data support: National Trust, Historic England and Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance (STBA) will advise and give access to masonry buildings under their custody for monitoring/dynamic testing. Bogazici University’s (Turkey) Kandilli Observatory Meteorology Lab will share data from their continuous SHM networks deployed at large-scale structures in Istanbul, and weather database. Finally, UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings (UKCMB) will give access to their network for knowledge exchange/dissemination.