Assessment of Vulnerability of Earthen Vernacular Architecture in the Iberian Peninsula to Natural Risks. Generation of an Analysis Tool

ABSTRACT

Earthen architecture is an essential part of the architectural and cultural heritage of the Iberian Peninsula. Both at monumental and vernacular level, this architecture has adapted to the diversity of the territory, the different geographies and climates, the variety of materials available and the cultural diversity which have led to a great wealth of constructive variants of this architecture. The RISK-Terra Project was born in this context, funded by the Spanish Ministry for Science, Innovation and Universities, aiming to contribute to the study of this heritage scientifically researching and analysing the natural, social and anthropic threats to earthen vernacular structures, as well as deterioration mechanisms and transformation dynamics currently observed in this type of architecture in the Iberian Peninsula. The research presented in this text has been carried out within the framework of the RISK-Terra Project, with the main objective of developing an analysis tool for application to any element of traditional architecture or earthen vernacular architecture, assessing the degree of vulnerability to the sudden action or continued presence of natural risks (earthquakes, floods, extreme weather events).

KEYWORDS:

• Earthen architecture
• Iberian Peninsula
• natural risks
• vulnerability

Acknowledgments

The study presented in this article has been developes as a part of the research project “Earthen architecture in the Iberian Península: study of natural, social and anthropic risks and strategies to improve resilience. RISK-TERRA” (funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and University, ref. RTI2018-095302-B-I00).

Disclosure statement

No potencial conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and University under Grant RTI2018-095302-B-I00.