Beyond the Classroom: Investigating Seismic Resilience in Mexican Viceregal Façades

Integrating traditional methods with fluid viscous dampers for the strengthening of heritage masonry structures

Chiara Bariviera

Introduction

Masonry structures embody centuries of architectural and cultural identity, yet they remain among the most seismically vulnerable building typologies. Their large mass, weak connections, and brittle materials make them particularly susceptible to out-of-plane (OOP) failure mechanisms, which can lead to partial or total façade collapse during earthquakes. Strengthening such structures requires an approach that balances seismic safety with heritage conservation principles, ensuring that interventions are both effective and minimally invasive.

My master’s dissertation at the Advanced Master’s in Structural Analysis of Monuments and Historical Constructions (SAHC) addressed this challenge by examining the out-of-plane behaviour of Mexican viceregal façades and exploring how traditional strengthening techniques could be complemented by fluid viscous dampers (FVDs), a modern vibration control technology more commonly applied in high-rise or bridge engineering. The aim was to determine whether such devices could improve the seismic performance of unreinforced masonry (URM) façades without compromising their historical integrity.

Research Overview

The study employed advanced nonlinear dynamic time-history analyses using Abaqus Explicit to simulate the seismic response of a representative Mexican façade typology. The model was subjected to two recorded ground motions:

the 1976 Friuli earthquake, characterised by high impulsiveness and energy concentration, and
the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake, representing low-impulsiveness cyclic motion.

These contrasting signals allowed for an evaluation of how damping systems perform under different seismic characteristics.

The strengthening configurations were compared against the unstrengthened baseline model, serving as control scenario:

Traditional techniques: including tie-rod systems and rigid diaphragms;
Hybrid configurations: combining traditional methods with fluid viscous dampers;

Beyond the quantitative findings, this study contributes to a growing body of research advocating for low-impact, reversible seismic interventions in historic masonry buildings. It demonstrates that energy dissipation technologies, when sensitively implemented, can bridge the gap between traditional conservation practice and modern structural engineering.

In heritage engineering, the objective is rarely to eliminate movement but rather to manage and control it. The use of dampers within masonry systems introduces a paradigm where protection derives not from increasing stiffness or mass, but from intelligently dissipating energy. Such an approach aligns with the principles of minimal intervention outlined in the Venice Charter (1964) and ICOMOS guidelines, offering a path forward that respects both structure and story.

Undertaking this research deepened my appreciation for the complexity of historic structures, not as static artefacts, but as dynamic systems that have survived through adaptation. It also reinforced a broader truth about structural engineering in heritage contexts: success lies as much in understanding behaviour as in designing interventions.

As engineers, our task is not only to ensure that historic buildings stand safely through the next earthquake, but also that they continue to express the identity and craftsmanship of the cultures that built them.

Since completing the SAHC programme, this renewed perspective has followed me back to London, subtly reshaping the way I navigate its built landscape. I now find myself pausing before façades I once walked past, reading their proportions, materials, and subtle imperfections as traces of time and movement. Cracks, joints, and irregularities no longer appear as flaws but as quiet records of resilience. This mindset has naturally carried into my professional work, where I approach every structure, historic or contemporary, with a deeper awareness of its story, its vulnerabilities, and its capacity for renewal.

Beyond the Classroom: Investigating Seismic Resilience in Mexican Viceregal Façades