Artículos (Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno)

URI permanente para esta colecciónhttps://hdl.handle.net/11441/24701

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Is There a Historical Relationship Between Urban Growth and Resilience Loss? The Case of Floods in Belo Horizonte (Brazil)
(MDPI, 2025) Salazar-Galán, Sergio; Granha Magalhães Gomes e Silva, Amanda; Sánchez Fuentes, Domingo; Mascort-Albea, Emilio J.; Urbanística y Ordenación del Territorio; Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno; Junta de Andalucía
Reducing the negative effects associated with floods in cities constitutes one of the highest-priority contemporary social challenges on the global sustainability agenda. In general, most historical studies focus on the consequences, but not on the causes of the phenomenon, which is essential for moving towards sustainable and resilient territories. The aim of this research is to quantify the effect that urban expansion has exerted on floods, taking the city of Belo Horizonte as a critical and representative case study. To this end, an integrative, qualitative, and quantitative approach has been developed, based on previous studies and on distributed hydrological modelling for the period 1940–2024. The results show that urban growth has contributed to a 7%, 14%, and 21% increase in the first three quartiles of annual floods. Likewise, the increase in the magnitude and frequency of the floods is also attributable, since it is more noticeable in the events of higher frequency than in those of lower frequency, in a range from 15% to 7%. The above results show the way in which the application of quantitative knowledge derived from the environmental history is highly useful for decision-making regarding the measures required to increase resilience, considering the possible effects of climate change. Thus, the recovery of the infiltration capacity of the soil constitutes a priority measure to reverse the effect that urban growth has exerted on the hydrological cycle.
A GIS-based common data environment for integrated preventive conservation of built heritage systems
(MDPI, 2025-08-21) Hidalgo Sánchez, Francisco Manuel; Ruiz Moreno, Ignacio; Canivell, Jacinto; Soriano-Cuesta, Cristina; Kada, Martin; Construcciones Arquitectónicas II (ETSIE); Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno; Universidad de Sevilla; TEP018: Ingeniería del Terreno; TEP211: Conservación Preventiva del Patrimonio Construido
Preventive conservation (PC) of built heritage has proved to be one of the most efficient and sustainable approaches to ensure its long-term preservation. Nevertheless, the management of all the areas involved in a PC project is complex, often resulting in poor interaction between them. This research proposes a GIS-based methodology for integrating data from different PC areas into a centralised digital model, establishing a Common Data Environment (CDE) to optimise PC strategies for heritage systems in complex contexts. Applying this method to the pavilions of the 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition in Seville (Spain), the study addresses five key PC areas: active follow-up, damage detection and assessment, risk analysis, maintenance, and dissemination and valorisation. The approach involved designing a robust relational database structure—using PostgreSQL—tailored for heritage management, defining several data standardisation criteria, and testing semi-automated procedures for generating multi-scale 2D and 3D GIS (LOD2 and LOD4) entities using remote sensing data sources. The proposed spatial database has been designed to function seamlessly with major GIS platforms (QGIS and ArcGIS Pro), demonstrating successful integration and interoperability for data management, analysis, and decision-making. Geographic web services derived from the database content were created and uploaded to a WebGIS platform. While limitations exist, this research demonstrates that simplified GIS models are sufficient for managing PC data across various working scales, offering a resource-efficient alternative compared to more demanding existing methods.
Schoolyard revegetation as a dual mechanism for environmental education and overheat mitigation
(Elsevier, 2025-06) Serrano Jiménez, Antonio José; Marques Valderrama, Israel; Jiménez Expósito, Rosa Ana; Díaz López, Carmen; Barrios Padura, Ángela; Molina Huelva, Marta; Becerra Villanueva, José Antonio; Chacartegui, Ricardo; Construcciones Arquitectónicas I (ETSA); Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno; Ingeniería Energética; European Union (UE). H2020; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU). España; European Commission (EC). Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER); TEP206: SATH Sostenibilidad en Arquitectura, Tecnología y Patrimonio: Materialidad y Sistemas Constructivos; TEP137: Máquinas y Motores Térmicos
Current research gaps in environmental action guidelines that tackle urban heat island effects and improve environmental education to students are identified in order to address urban and environmental challenges. This research aims to promote revegetation patterns in schoolyards through a scientific-educational strategy of planting trees, thereby increasing the shaded area and promoting environmental activities in schools in warm climates. This study provides a standardised strategy in five phases for the diagnosis, decision-making, proposal, and monitoring of tree planting, which can be replicated in multiple climatic and urban contexts. This study presents a real-life pilot experience that tests and applies this strategy in Itaca secondary school, in Southern Spain, within an H2020-European research project, in which a diagnosis of the schoolyard and an in-situ tree-planting strategy is developed by researchers together with students. The collaborative methodology is based on a multidisciplinary evaluation involving a selection of tree species and their in-situ planting by the students, thereby filling the gap with an action strategy towards greener practices in schools and highlighting key outcomes for upcoming bioclimatic policies. The results confirm an increase in the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from 0.15 to 0.74 in tree-planting areas, and 91.5% of the 142 participants in the educational community have perceived this tree-planting strategy as highly satisfactory for increasing outdoor comfort. The conclusions reveal multiple insights that contribute to sustainable development goals, based on the environmental education between researchers and students and on the advantages in mitigating the effects of overheating in schoolyards.
Optimising sensor placement in heritage buildings: a comparison of model-based and data-driven approaches
(MDPI, 2025-07-06) Chaves Moreno, Estefanía; Barontini, Alberto; Mendes, Nuno; Compán Cardiel, Víctor Jesús; Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno; Foundation for Science and Technology (FST); TEP114: Tecnología Arquitectónica
The long-term preservation of heritage structures relies on effective Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems, where sensor placement is key to ensuring early damage detection and guiding conservation efforts. Optimal Sensor Placement (OSP) methods offer a systematic framework to identify efficient sensor configurations, yet their application in historical buildings remains limited. Typically, OSP is driven by numerical models; however, in the context of heritage structures, these models are often affected by substantial uncertainties due to irregular geometries, heterogeneous materials, and unknown boundary conditions. In this scenario, data-driven approaches become particularly attractive as they eliminate the need for potentially unreliable models by relying directly on experimentally identified dynamic properties. This study investigates how the choice of input data influences OSP outcomes, using the Church of Santa Ana in Seville, Spain, as a representative case. Three data sources are considered: an uncalibrated numerical model, a calibrated model, and a data-driven set of modal parameters. Several OSP methods are implemented and systematically compared. The results underscore the decisive impact of the input data on the optimisation process. Although calibrated models may improve certain modal parameters, they do not necessarily translate into better sensor configurations. This highlights the potential of data-driven strategies to enhance the robustness and applicability of SHM systems in the complex and uncertain context of heritage buildings.
Aplicación del método de los elementos finitos para el análisis del comportamiento sísmico de la mezquita-catedral de Córdoba
(Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 2024) Requena Garcia De La Cruz, Maria Victoria; Romero Sánchez, Emilio; Morales Esteban, Antonio; Fernández Pérez, Natalia; Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno
El objetivo principal de este trabajo es aplicar el método de los elementos finitos para el modelado del sector de Abd’ al-Rahman I de la Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba. Este edificio es de un gran valor cultural y patrimonial. Por ello, fue declarado Patrimonio de la Humanidad por la UNESCO en 1984. El monumento se encuentra al sur de la península ibérica. Este área se caracteriza por una actividad sísmica moderada. Debido a ello, de cara a su preservación y al análisis de su seguridad, es importante analizar su comportamientos estructural y sísmico. En este trabajo, se ha desarrollado un modelo en 3D en el software abierto OpenSees. Para ello, se han realizado ensayos no destructivos sobre el edificio. Para el análisis de su comportamiento, se han realizado análisis estáticos verticales y horizontales (tipo pushover). Como resultado, se ha obtenido que el edificio presenta un peor comportamiento sísmico en la dirección perpendicular a las arcadas
Enhanced macroseismic method for the vulnerability assessment of representative ’50–70s social housing units
(Springer, 2025) Zapico Blanco, Beatriz; Pineda Palomo, Paloma; Lagomarsino, Sergio; Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno
This study proposes an enhanced macroseismic method, based on RISK-UE LM1 Vulnerability Index model, for assessing the vulnerability of social housing buildings constructed between 1950 and 1975, which typically lack seismic provisions, feature repetitive architectural designs, and have either exceeded or are about to exceed their design working life. Initially, a comprehensive review of existing literature was conducted to identify relevant vulnerability parameters for calculating the Vulnerability Index. Huelva, located in southern Spain, was chosen as a pilot city due to the representativeness of its buildings and the availability of original project documents. Analysing these documents, along with microzonation studies and on-site visual inspections, facilitated an understanding of the structural types (primarily reinforced concrete moment-resistant frames or unreinforced masonry walls) and the further analysis of the selected vulnerability parameters. The new method improves upon the original by incorporating several enhancements, like integrating the number of floors into the Type of Soil Modifier, creating a Combined Modifier that amalgamates parameters based on the construction year, defining the Vertical Irregularity Modifier based on the building’s compactness ratio, and introducing a Slope of the Ground Modifier. Additionally, it considers pounding effects solely for staggered floor slabs and features adapted modifier weights for the specific building types. To address potential overestimation caused by summing multiple modifiers, the method employs a modified square root of the sum of squares (SRSS) approach, which provides a more robust estimation of their combined impact. The method was applied to buildings in Huelva using deterministic (recurrence of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake) and probabilistic (code, intensity VII) scenarios. Results reveal expected damage levels contradicting the damage control philosophy, indicating the need for preventing interventions and further research on similar structures.
Multidisciplinary Approach in the Structural Diagnosis of Historic Buildings: Stability Study of the Bullring of Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda (Spain)
(MDPI, 2025) Pachón García, Pablo; Garduño Ferreras, Carlos; Vázquez Vicente, Enrique; Baeza Álvarez, Juan Ramón; Compán Cardiel, Víctor Jesús; Construcciones Arquitectónicas II (ETSIE); Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno; Ingeniería del Diseño
The structural health monitoring of historic buildings represents one of the most significant challenges in contemporary structural analysis, particularly for large-scale structures with accumulated damage. Obtaining reliable diagnostics is crucial yet complex due to the inherent uncertainties in both geometric definition and material properties of historic constructions, especially when structural stability may be compromised. This study presents a comprehensive structural assessment of the Bullring of the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda (Spain), an emblematic 18th-century structure, through an innovative multi-technique approach aimed at evaluating its structural stability. The methodology integrates various non-destructive techniques: 3D laser scanning for precise geometric documentation, operational modal analysis (OMA) for global dynamic characterisation, experimental modal analysis (EMA) for local assessment of critical structural elements, and sonic tests (ST) to determine the elastic moduli of the principal materials that define the historic construction. The research particularly focuses on the inner ring of sandstone columns, identified as the most vulnerable structural component through initial dynamic testing. A detailed finite-element (FE) model was developed based on high-precision laser-scanning data and calibrated using experimental dynamic properties. The model’s reliability was validated through the correlation between numerical predictions and experimental observations, enabling a thorough stability analysis of the structure. Results reveal concerning stability issues in specific columns of the inner ring, identifying elements at significant risk of collapse. This finding demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed methodology in detecting critical structural vulnerabilities in historic buildings, providing crucial information for preservation strategies.
Urban-scale building assessment and energy vulnerability mapping through an interactive geo-referenced web tool: demonstration applicability to southern Spain
(Springer, 2025-06-27) Calama-González, Carmen María; Escandón Ramírez, Rocío; Suárez, Rafael; Abajo Casado, María Encarnación; Diánez Martínez, Ana Rosa; Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno; Construcciones Arquitectónicas I (ETSA); Matemática Aplicada I (ETSII); European Commission (EC). Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER); Junta de Andalucía; TEP999: HABITAE: Habitabilidad, Acondicionamiento y Energía en Arquitectura; FQM240: Invariantes en Teoría de Grafos y Optimización
Building decarbonization through energy renovation is a key challenge across the European Union, particularly in social housing sectors marked by high vulnerability. To support this goal, this study introduces a GIS-based open-access web tool for evaluating the energy performance and social vulnerability of the existing residential stock at the urban scale. The tool integrates data from public and open-source databases into a georeferenced environment, enabling systematic characterization of geometric, constructional, energy and social parameters at the urban-level, and supporting bottom-up and top-down approaches. This allows for performance evaluations, simulation model construction and the identification of high-priority buildings through energy and socioeconomic vulnerability indicators. Results from the city of Seville, used as a case study involving 2,888 dwellings) reveal that over 90% of buildings present severe winter energy vulnerability, while summer vulnerability is generally low. Socioeconomic analysis shows that more than a third of buildings house users living in severe poverty conditions. The combined vulnerability index highlights specific neighbourhoods, such as Polígono Sur, with particularly acute vulnerability levels. The tool’s scalability was demonstrated by extending it to 41 municipalities in southern Spain. This study concludes that this approach enables detailed diagnosis of structural and energy-related inequalities, integrating and analysing existing open data to perform thorough building performance assessment at urban level, and offers a rapid and reliable method for acquiring key building data and ensuring long-term adaptability through continuous updates.
How do natural ventilation strategies affect thermal comfort in educational buildings? A comparative analysis in the Mediterranean climate
(MDPI, 2025-06-12) Escandón Ramírez, Rocío; Ferrari, Simone; Cardelli, Riccardo; Blázquez de Pineda, María Teresa; Suárez, Rafael; Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno; Construcciones Arquitectónicas I (ETSA); Universidad de Sevilla; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU). España; TEP999: HABITAE: Habitabilidad, Acondicionamiento y Energía en Arquitectura
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of indoor air quality in buildings for the well-being of their occupants. In long-term occupancy buildings such as schools, where environmental conditions also impact academic performance, this importance was heightened. Despite the significant changes in ventilation practices resulting from the pandemic, recommendations have varied across different countries. This study aimed to provide a comparative analysis of the environmental conditions and air quality in classrooms in southern Spain and northern Italy (representative Mediterranean locations with different post-pandemic heating and natural ventilation approaches). Data measured on-site during periods with similar outdoor conditions were analysed to ascertain how ventilation strategies influence thermal comfort and indoor air quality. According to the results, during mild periods, high-intensity ventilation ensures excellent indoor air quality results based on CO2 concentrations, without compromising thermal comfort. Nevertheless, ventilation rates should be controlled in more adverse climate conditions to avoid negative effects on thermal comfort.
Thermal comfort assessment of secondary school building stock in southern Spain using parametric numerical models and applying different climatic and ventilation scenarios
(Elsevier, 2025-10-01) Aguilar Carrasco, María Teresa; Calama-González, Carmen María; Escandón Ramírez, Rocío; Mauro, Gerardo Maria; Suárez, Rafael; Construcciones Arquitectónicas I (ETSA); Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno; TEP999: HABITAE: Habitabilidad, Acondicionamiento y Energía en Arquitectura
Climate change is accelerating global warming, leading in turn to increased thermal stress and indoor overheating, particularly in buildings with high occupancy in southern Europe. This study examines the thermal performance of secondary school buildings in southern Spain, focusing on the influence of ventilation on thermal comfort. Given the reliance on natural ventilation of a significant portion of the Mediterranean school building stock, this research aims to characterize thermal comfort conditions using validated parametric simulation models on a regional scale. The study analyses current and future comfort conditions across different climatic zones, incorporating climate change projections, and assessing overheating and undercooling risks. Results show how ventilation without thermal treatment plays a crucial role in both overheating and undercooling. Higher ventilation rates generally lead to discomfort during winter but improve comfort in summer. Building orientation and solar exposure further influence comfort, with south-facing buildings benefiting from solar gains. Projections for 2050 suggest an increase in overheating risks, particularly in cities with higher cooling degree days (CDD). Despite the benefits of higher ventilation rates, these may not fully mitigate the anticipated increase in overheating, which showcases the need for additional strategies, such as active ventilation systems, to address these challenges. The findings highlight the need for improved adaptation strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Contribution of the soil-structure interaction to the seismic behaviour of the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba
(Elsevier, 2025-09-15) Requena García de la Cruz, María Victoria; Romero Sánchez, Emilio; Morales Esteban, Antonio; Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno; TEP107: Estructuras y Geotecnia
This paper deals with the contribution of the soil-structure interaction (SSI) effects to the seismic analysis of cultural heritage buildings. This issue is addressed by considering, as a case study, the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba (Spain). This study is focussed on the Abd al-Rahman I sector, which is the most ancient part, that dates from the 8th century. The building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is located in a moderate seismic hazard zone. It is built on soft alluvial strata, which amplifies the SSI. Since invasive tests are not allowed in heritage buildings, in this work a non-destructive test campaign has been performed for the characterisation of the structure and the soil. Ambient vibration tests have been used to calibrate a refined 3D macro-mechanical-based finite element model. The soil parameters have been obtained through an in situ geotechnical campaign, that has included geophysical tests. The SSI has been accounted for by following the direct method. Nonlinear static and dynamic time-history analyses have been carried out to assess the seismic behaviour. The results showed that the performance of the building, if the SSI is accounted for, is reduced by up to 20 % and 13 % in the direction of the arcades and in the perpendicular direction, respectively. Also, if the SSI is taken into account, the damage increased. This study showed that considering the SSI is important to properly assess the seismic behaviour of masonry buildings on soft strata. Finally, it should be highlighted that special attention should be paid to the SSI, which is normally omitted in this type of studies, to obtain a reliable dynamic identification of the built heritage.
Structural assessment of the medieval city wall of Seville (Spain) using low-cost accelerometers
(Elsevier, 2025-06) Serrano Chacón, Álvaro Rubén; Mascort-Albea, Emilio J.; Romero Hernández, Rocío; Canivell, Jacinto; Muñoz Chavero, Fernando; Hidalgo Fort, Eduardo; Jaramillo Morilla, Antonio; Ingeniería del Diseño; Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno; Construcciones Arquitectónicas II (ETSIE); Ingeniería Electrónica; Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (MECD). España; TEP018: Ingeniería del Terreno; TEP211: Conservación Preventiva del Patrimonio Construido; TIC192: Ingeniería Electrónica
The remains of fortifications are commonly found embedded in the contemporary urban fabric of historic cities. Due to their typological nature, these heritage assets are usually elements of great size and impact on the urban landscape. Their location within cities exposes them to very specific risks, such as pollution, vibration, biodegradation, and anthropic factors, which must be taken into account for the proper conservation and maintenance of such remains. The case of the medieval wall of Seville (Spain), built on rammed earth, shows specific factors of vulnerability, degradation, and erosion which prompt the need for non-destructive techniques (NDT). In the present research, vibration-based inspection is used and, specifically, when subjected to ambient vibrations. The collection of accelerations, which covered a period of nine months, was conducted in different parts of the structure under study by using mainly high-resolution accelerographs. These data allowed to perform an exhaustive dynamic characterisation of this defensive structure. Among other findings, it was determined that the filling of cracks and voids in the walls increased the fundamental frequency by about 2 %. In addition, no serious damage to the structure was found. Knowledge of the historic buildings' condition is essential in order to determine the most appropriate intervention. To this end, a protocol for the global structural diagnosis of these buildings has been proposed. It is based on the recording of accelerations with low-cost accelerographs. Besides being an inexpensive protocol, it allows a quick decision making, since the dynamic characterization of the structure is performed by means of the fast Fourier transform. Basically, the designed protocol is based on the variation of the fundamental frequency of the structure between two time instants. These values are used for the calculation of a damage index. By means of an exhaustive review of conventional masonry buildings tested in the laboratory, the damage index has been correlated with the state of the structure prior to collapse. Specifically, this threshold, which ranges from DS4 to DS5 according to the criteria of the European Macroseismic Scale 1998 (EMS-98), provides a valuable reference point for the structural assessment of historical box-shaped constructions with conventional masonry load-bearing walls. This simplified procedure for structural diagnosis was applied in its initial phase at the White Tower. It was found that this protocol is able to identify the fundamental frequency of the structure with an error of <0.65 % in comparison to the results obtained through operational modal analysis methods.
Automated building typology clustering and identification using a variational autoencoder on digital land cadastres
(Elsevier, 2025-06) Miguel Rodríguez, Jaime de; Requena García de la Cruz, María Victoria; Romero Sánchez, Emilio; Morales Esteban, Antonio; Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España; TEP107: Estructuras y Geotecnia
This study introduces a novel, automated methodology for extracting urban building typologies from digital land cadastres using a Variational Autoencoder (VAE). Unlike traditional shape clustering approaches, that depend on predefined rules or manual labelling, the method employs unsupervised learning to identify building typologies, based solely on geometric features, derived from roof-print shapes. Leveraging a large-scale dataset of over 100,000 buildings from the Seville, Spain cadastre, the VAE has been trained with augmented data to generate a latent space that captures dominant morphological patterns. The analysis has revealed 24 to 26 distinct building typologies, encompassing both prevalent and rare urban forms. The approach effectively filters out non-representative shapes and is scalable for application across entire cities. By automatically identifying representative building shapes, the method facilitates the creation of parametric structural models, which are essential for developing machine learning tools to predict seismic damage. This replicable and automated strategy significantly reduces the time and resources required for typology-based seismic vulnerability assessments, providing valuable support for civil protection agencies and urban planners.
Experimental assessment of the interaction between indoor air quality and thermal comfort in naturally ventilated secondary classrooms in southern Spain
(Elsevier, 2025-08) Escandón Ramírez, Rocío; Calama-González, Carmen María; Suárez, Rafael; Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno; Construcciones Arquitectónicas I (ETSA); Universidad de Sevilla; TEP999: HABITAE: Habitabilidad, Acondicionamiento y Energía en Arquitectura
Current European policies focus on achieving climate neutrality by 2050. However, the COVID-19 crisis has disrupted social conditions, reigniting the debate on buildings with high occupancy and static users for long periods, such as schools, given their inadequate health and comfort conditions. In the Mediterranean climate, most school buildings lack suitable ventilation systems, due to either their age or a reluctance to use mechanical ventilation systems. This study provides a quantitative analysis of current behavioural and environmental factors affecting pollutant exposure, covering the gap in the existing literature on simultaneous assessment on indoor air quality conditions (CO2, PM2.5, PM10), and hygrothermal comfort (temperature and relative humidity) in a post-COVID scenario in existing secondary school buildings in southern Spain. For this purpose, a continuous monitoring of indoor environmental conditions in cooling, mild, and heating seasons is proposed to assess the influence of natural ventilation conditions on indoor air quality and thermal comfort, instead of the short-term monitoring focused on specific periods frequently found in previous studies. The results show a widespread use of natural overventilation through windows, especially in summer (more than 50 % of the occupied hours), to guarantee indoor air quality conditions (with CO2 below 900 ppm during almost 100 % of the occupied hours). However, in general, this involves clearly compromising thermal conditions (with seasonal average values above 25 °C and 100 % of the occupied hours in discomfort during the hottest weeks) and a moderate loss of cognitive performance during more than 97 % of the summer occupied hours.
Study of ground motion signal reduction for the optimisation of computation time in dynamic nonlinear analysis
(Elsevier, 2025-02) Requena García de la Cruz, María Victoria; Miguel Rodríguez, Jaime de; Romero Sánchez, Emilio; Morales Esteban, Antonio; Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno; TEP107: Estructuras y Geotecnia
Nonlinear dynamic analyses are required to account for the structural performance of mid- to high-rise buildings and complex structures. Generally, time history analyses are carried out considering several ground motions for a certain seismic action. These analyses are often very time-consuming, mainly because of the high resolution of the ground motion signal. Therefore, performing these calculations based on lower resolution accelerograms can be very useful, especially when dealing with large sets of buildings (e.g., seismic vulnerability studies on an urban scale). In this paper, two methods for signal reduction are tested against each other: i) an open-source Fourier-based resampling implementation; and, ii) a simple reduction algorithm that preserves both the highest and lowest peaks of the signal. The experiments compare the two methods at several levels of resolution reduction and for three different accelerograms. The influence of amplitude scaling on important earthquake demand parameters (EDPs), namely, the peak floor displacements and accelerations have been studied for three reinforced concrete case study buildings modelled in OpenSees: low- (5-storey), mid- (8-storey) and high-rise (11-storey). The results allow establishing a set of criteria to choose the appropriate reduction method and level. This depends on the balance desired of computation time versus calculation accuracy. Real accelerograms without baseline corrections have been for the tests. The simple reduction algorithm method appears to capture better the accelerograms by avoiding excessive interpolation. This results in peaks and areas closer to the original signal. However, it presents greater variability in energy preservation, introducing large abrupt changes in acceleration. These large fluctuations have led to inducing significantly larger displacements in OpenSees, causing greater structural damage. The Fourier method led to better and consistent results than the reduction algorithm proposed. Resolution 50 provided a reduction in time of up to 30 % and an error margin of the engineering demand parameters of around ± 15 %.
A numerical model for settlement analysis of circular plates on multilayered soil
(Elsevier, 2025-05-15) Justo Moscardó, Enrique de; González de León, Isabel; Vázquez-Boza, Manuel; Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno; TEP107: Estructuras y Geotecnia
This paper presents a numerical model for calculating settlements and contact stresses of a circular plate resting on an elastic subgrade. The method is an extension of the elastic continuum method developed by Poulos and Davis for piles. Soil settlements are calculated with Mindlin’s equations. Plate settlements are calculated through a finite difference approximation of Kirchhoff’s equations for thin plate bending. The method, originally devised for homogenous soils, has been extended for multilayered soils using the Steinbrenner approximation. Model validation was performed by comparing results with a finite element solution and with previously published methods. The results prove that the method provides a very good approximation for homogenous soils and also for multilayered soils in which soil stiffness increases with depth, while for layered soils with stiffness decreasing with depth the Steinbrenner approximation was found not to be sufficiently accurate. Compared to alternative numerical methods, such as those using variational calculus, the proposed method has the advantage of its greater simplicity.
Decision-making for renovating the Mediterranean social housing: a practical approach through an interactive open access tool
(Elsevier, 2025) Calama-González, Carmen María; Escandón Ramírez, Rocío; Suárez, Rafael; Ascione, Fabrizio; Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno; de Construcciones Arquitectónicas I
To achieve 2050 Climate Neutrality, building stock requires a multidimensional renovation process. This is particularly urgent in most vulnerable households, with higher exposure to climate change, where this procedure should focus on cost-controlled passive measures. Given the complexity of identifying optimal strategies, it is imperative to improve the retrofitting process of the social housing stock to enhance its energy performance guaranteeing health and comfort. For this, an interactive tool was developed focused on the case of southern Spain. Able to provide optimized combinations of energy retrofit strategies, using NSGA-II genetic algorithms and setting two optimization objectives: minimizing thermal discomfort and economic costs. The freely accessible tool was designed with practical and didactic approach to facilitate decision-making. The results obtained suggest the feasibility of implementing phase actions instead of a single large-scale intervention and show the tool’s ability to quantify the percentage of thermal comfort improvement achieves at each phase.
Student Competitions as a Learning Method with a Sustainable Focus in Higher Education: the University of Seville “Aura Projects” in the “Solar Decathlon 2019”
(MDPI, 2020) Herrera-Limones, Rafael; Rey Pérez, Julia; Hernández Valencia, Miguel; Roa Fernández, Jorge; Historia, Teoría y Composición Arquitectónicas; Construcciones Arquitectónicas I (ETSA); Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno
In recent times, teaching in higher education has undergone a significant transformation. Current advances and innovative proposals in educational science research are centred around a transdisciplinary approach, the so-called integrated curriculum and the incorporation of the transversal concept of sustainability. In summary, the so-called learning processes through problem-solving. The Solar Decathlon Competition is the most prestigious international university student competition for sustainable habitat. The aim of this article is to show how the Aura Strategy, developed by the University of Seville Solar Decathlon Team to participate in the Solar Decathlon 2019 Latin America and Europe competitions, is aligned with the aforementioned proposals. Among the results, the generation of a transforming teaching network of the departmental structures in the University of Seville is to be highlighted. These transformations in teaching lead students to new, broader and more holistic approaches to study, as well as new capabilities and skills. The question of interdisciplinarity requires new tools and research lines to achieve successful implementation in higher education, and the participation in the Solar Decathlon Competition is one of them.
Field investigation and numerical modeling for the seismic assessment of the Castle of Lanjarón, Spain
(MDPI, 2025-02-02) Luger, Hayden; Ramírez Álvarez de Lara, Rafael; Pineda Palomo, Paloma; Lourenço, Paulo B.; Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno; R&D Unit Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering (ISISE); Associate Laboratory Advanced Production and Intelligent Systems ARISE; TEP1002: Artesa Re_lab | Architecture + Structural Research
The Castle of Lanjarón is a 16th century stronghold located in Andalucía, Spain. After losing its military function, the castle was abandoned, leading to significant decay. Designated a national heritage site in 1985, recent efforts have sought to preserve its historical and cultural value. This study outlines an inspection and diagnosis campaign carried out on the castle. Non-destructive tests (NDTs) were employed to characterize the properties of the masonry, using both mechanical and wave-based methods. Dynamic identification was performed to determine dynamic and modal properties of the structure, which were used to develop and calibrate a three-dimensional (3D) finite element model (FEM) of the west wall, based on homogenized masonry material. Limit analysis and non-linear static (pushover) analysis under various boundary conditions were conducted to determine the maximum relative load factor in the out-of-plane direction. The results were compared to the expected peak ground acceleration (PGA) of the area, showing that the maximum load capacity of the wall exceeds local seismic demands with a safety factor of 1.39. The study highlights the efficacy of pairing a homogenized macro-modeling approach with wave-based and dynamic identification methods, particularly for resource efficiency. Finally, recommendations for future conservation efforts have been provided.
Dynamic performance of the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba under different earthquake scenarios: the Abd al-Rahman I sector
(Elsevier, 2023-11-15) Requena García de la Cruz, María Victoria; Romero Sánchez, Emilio; Morales Esteban, Antonio; Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno
The Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba is one of the most important monuments in Spain. Owing to its authenticity, its integrity and its influence on later architecture, it was declared as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1984. The monument is located in Andalusia, in southern Spain. This region presents a moderate seismic hazard, and it is affected by two kinds of seismic sources: a) far away earthquakes of large/very large magnitude; b) close earthquakes of moderate magnitude. Particularly, the Mosque-Cathedral had to endure the well-known 1755 Lisbon’s earthquake (Mw=8.5, at 488 km) and the 1504 Carmona earthquake (Mw=6.8, at 82 km). This research has analysed its dynamic behaviour under several earthquake scenarios: code-base response spectrum, previous historic earthquakes and fault maximum magnitude earthquakes. However, after the seismic hazard analysis and due to the lack of faults registered surrounding the building, no worst-case scenario considering the maximum expected magnitude has been found. Owing to the complexity of the building, this work has focused on the Abd al-Rahman I sector, which is the most aged part, dating from the VIII century. A refined 3D numerical model has been developed and calibrated through free ambient vibration tests. The distribution of the maximum amplitudes (internal displacements and absolute accelerations) under the different scenarios has been comparatively presented. Also, the seismic performance has been assessed considering the drifts and the damage expected. The results showed that the damage would be concentrated in the contact between the arcades and the courtyard wall. Also, the lower part of the North-South closing wall would be damaged. According to the seismic performance, the building is expected to present moderate damage. In contrast, the analysis of the drifts, according to the codes, suggest that the building would resist each damage limit. Also, it was shown that the far fault earthquake scenario is more demanding than the close fault earthquake scenario. Next, it should be noted that the behaviour of the building for a seismic action of 475-year return period is expected to be similar to the far-fault earthquake scenario. The most demanding earthquake scenario has been the 975-year return period one.

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