Ponce Massacre Museum computerized render of the structure (left) with the proposed rubber base isolators (right).

RISE-UP Students Analyzed the Implementation of Seismic Isolation Systems to Historical Buildings in Puerto Rico

As part of the 2021 RISE-UP summer undergraduate research experience course,
students Luis Lamboy, Natalia Marrero, Sebastián Feliciano and Luz Bonilla, with the
mentorship of Dr. Luis E. Suárez, highlighted the importance of preserving historical
buildings in Puerto Rico by repairing and rehabilitating them to withstand seismic
activity. The team developed a case study of the Ponce Massacre Museum located in
Ponce, P.R. which included analyzing the benefits of implementing seismic isolators to
the building foundations with the expectation of reducing lateral drifts and therefore
reducing the hazard of collapse of the unreinforced masonry building that hosts the
museum.

Categories: RISE-UP