Local seismic culture in Iranian vernacular architecture: evidence from Yazd earthen architecture

Abstract

Iran, located in one of the most earthquake-prone regions of the world, has experienced a very large number of destructive earthquakes that brought about considerable loss of human life and economic consequences. The country possesses a vast number of monumental and vernacular built heritages that are constantly threatened by earthquakes. As vernacular techniques for dwellings comply with the needs, comfort, utility, and functionality of people, it is expected that endemic earthquake-resistant techniques make an essential contribution to Iranian vernacular architecture. The city of Yazd presents a unique and rich vernacular for earthen construction within Iranian architectural heritage, which has resulted in the recognition of the historic fabric of the city as a World Heritage Site since 2017. Considering the importance of exploring different local seismic cultures worldwide, this paper introduces an essential part of Iranian local seismic culture by recognising and classifying the vernacular earthquake-resistant techniques used in the earthen architecture of the city of Yazd. The techniques were collected by surveying the historic fabric, using data available in the literature, and interviewing traditional builders and local conservators. Next, the seismic influence of each technique was evaluated using examples from the performance of adobe constructions during the 2003 Bam earthquake.