Pro-active adaptation of existing masonry buildings in response to climate change induced risk of subsidence

Balzano, Brunella ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7868-8835, Sharifi, Shahram, Sweeney, John and Thompson, Glen 2026. Pro-active adaptation of existing masonry buildings in response to climate change induced risk of subsidence. Presented at: International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions, Lausanne, Switzerland, 15-17 September 2025. Published in: Saloustros, S. and Beyer, K. eds. Proceedings of SAHC 2025. RILEM Bookseries , vol.64 Springer Nature Switzerland, pp. 2212-2220. 10.1007/978-3-032-13469-1_176

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Abstract

Over 90% of the existing built environment in the UK consists of masonry structures including houses, schools, and heritage buildings, some dating back centuries. Although they have withstood the test of time, like the human body, their aging “bones and muscles” make them more vulnerable to “injuries,” especially when exposed to new forces they were never designed to endure. One of the main risks facing the UK’s built environment is subsidence, which is particularly severe in areas underlain by London Clay. The differential subsidence of low-rise buildings on cohesive, plastic soils is a well-known engineering challenge. Though the UK has developed significant expertise in mitigating subsidence, challenges remain, particularly with the growing uncertainty surrounding the extent of future hazards due to climate change. This work aims at studying a smart technology to use as pro-active adaptation methodology towards the subsidence problem induced by climate change on existing masonry buildings. The research will explore a smart device, namely Hybrid Tendons already proven successful in concrete, able to detect and repair cracks in masonry as they form. The Hybrid Tendonss will be exploited as an adaptation measure for existing structures to better prepare to the imminent subsidence risk deriving from climate change.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item - published (Paper)
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Architecture Schools > Engineering
Publisher:	Springer Nature Switzerland
ISBN:	9783032134684
ISSN:	2211-0844
Last Modified:	13 Apr 2026 11:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/186340

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