Seismic Damage to Stone Structures in Machu Picchu

Abstract eng:
The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu is the most famous historical site in Peru; site which was declared as world cultural heritage by UNESCO in 1983 and also as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. All of its constructions were made of stone masonry. The citadel was constructed by Inca Pachacutec and was abandoned after collapsing the Inca Empire by the year 1540 AD. During almost four centuries, the citadel endured and survived under a thick rain forest, until it was discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. However, it is important to analyze the probable causes of structural damages of the constructions to preserve them. To evaluate the current structural conditions of the buildings, the characteristics of failures are discussed in this paper, through field survey, micro vibration measurements and dynamic analysis. The field survey on damages consisted of a detailed observation and evaluation of a group of selected buildings. Also, micro vibration measurements were performed on the ground and on some buildings to estimate their dynamic characteristics. It was observed that for a specific soil condition, the failure in some buildings could be the result of the action of past earthquakes.

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