Lessons from Damaged Historic Buildings in the Sichuan Earthquake: A Case Study in Zhaohua, Sichuan Province

Abstract

Zhaohua is a historic town in Sichuan Province, in China. On 12^th May 2008, a devastating earthquake measuring 8 on the Richter scale struck Wenchuan, Sichuan province. Among the 232 historic buildings in Zhaohua, the number of damaged buildings was 46; partially damaged, 74; and slightly damaged buildings, 112. The purpose of report is to study the extent of damage to these historic buildings during the earthquake, and then attempt to find the weak points which these buildings displayed.
Authors conclude that the damage to historic buildings is primarily related to the combination of main building materials and the construction used. Buildings made of wood and brick withstood the seismic forces better than did buildings made of wood and mud, which collapsed more easily. Further, the connections between the walls and the purlins and beams are the main weak points in the traditional historic buildings in Sichuan. Many of the historic buildings, particularly some made of mud, had never been reinforced.
In Zhaohua, although a disaster prevention plan was in place, this plan focused mainly on fire and did not include practical information on the historic building reinforcement and what should be done during a disaster and post-disaster.