Used Car Tyre Straps as Seismic Reinforcement for Adobe Houses

Abstract eng:
This on-going research project responds to both the extreme seismic vulnerability of adobe houses and the abundant supply of environmentally-harmful used car tyres. An introductory section briefly describes the seismic problems this low-cost and technologically appropriate approach attempts to resolve. After describing how used car tyre straps are intended to improve seismic safety, the paper summarizes laboratory test results on components such as the straps and their connections. It then discusses the behaviour of the system as a whole. It shows how the proposed horizontal and vertical strap reinforcement greatly enhances the in-plane and out-of-plane seismic load capacity of vertical dry-stacked brick wall panels, intended to approximate adobe walls. The relatively long natural periods of walls utilizing this flexible type of reinforcement provide beneficial dynamic characteristics. Finally, the economic viability of the proposed system and cultural factors affecting its possible implementation in developing countries are discussed.

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