Stone Bags Seismic Isolation for Vernacular Earth and Stone Construction

The Andean Region is permanently affected by earthquakes and its rich cultural heritage is a prey to relentless destruction. Built on earth and stone, they are an important vulnerability factor. This article considers the case of old Caral (5000 years old), built with their own ancestral seismic knowledge. Experimental research to achieve earthquake resistant earthen buildings began in Peru almost half a century ago and was concentrated on social housing. 13 years later it cover the vernacular patrimonial one. The need to have Conservation Principles adopted by the National Committees of ICOMOS, such as since 2012 the case of Peru, is in order to apply criteria of deep knowledge of the cultural heritage, minimal and respectful intervention, use of reinforcements of compatible materials and reversible solutions, which provides greater durability in spite of natural disasters (Earthquakes producing collapses of constructions and Enso associated to rains and floods). This Project was developed through an Agreement of the Ministry of Housing of Peru and the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru.