Mexican researchers to create earthquake-resistant bricks

A new type of bricks resistant to earthquakes will be developed by researchers from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) and the Autonomous University of Chiapas ( UNACH ).

The project will be a collaboration between researchers from the Laboratory for Technological Innovation of Structures and Materials (LITEM) , of the UPC , and the Engineering Faculty of the Chiapas University.

The purpose is to manufacture a cement and sand bric k, which allows the construction of recumbent partitions that are sufficiently resistant to earthquakes , like the one that struck Chiapas in September 2017.

The bricks can be reinforced with a textile and mortar system that will increase ductility, according to a UPCE statement.

This new system will be used for the reconstruction of buildings in the regions of Tehuantepec and Chiapas .

To begin with, the researchers will carry out an analysis of the brick-making materials available in the region and establish an efficient design that guarantees resistance , since the one used by the builders in the area is artisanal and with minimal resistance.

Another study will have to do with the application of the legal construction regulations in Tehuantepec and Chiapas , and thus increase the degree of demand in terms of resistance in the use of certain types of materials.

Later, Francisco Alberto Alonso and a group of researchers will experimentally model the new brick, while LITEM researchers will be responsible for numerical modeling.

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