oq-gem

Glossary for gem taxonomy

Authors: Luke Allen, Andrew Charleson, Svetlana Brzev, and Charles Scawthorn

This online Glossary explains around 400 terms contained in the GEM Building Taxonomy v 2.0 and nearly 700 images.

The terms have been listed in alphabetical and numerical order. Text description of each term is accompanied by illustrations (photos and/or drawings) where possible.

We welcome contributions in the form of photographs or images, illustrating glossary terms. If you have any questions you can also contact us at buildingtaxonomy@globalquakemodel.org


This is an overlay of reinforcing mesh bonded or attached to a masonry wall to provide reinforcement. The reinforcement is usually in the form of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) mesh or fabrics using glass or carbon fibres bonded to the wall with a resin, or polymer grid (geogrid) attached to the wall with plastic or nylon ties. Mesh is often also placed on the interior surfaces of walls and to surfaces of interior walls. The mesh is usually plastered over. Cement or mud plaster is used. This type of reinforcement is often installed in existing buildings as a seismic retrofit provision.

RCM_Peru_N. Tarque_1RCM_Peru_N. Tarque_3

Adobe walls reinforced with polymer mesh, construction phase; note the mesh overlaid with mud plaster on the right photo (N. Tarque)

Adobe building reinforced with fibre reinforced mesh (geogrid), Peru (S. Brzev)

RCM_Peru_N. Tarque_2

Polymer mesh (geogrid) laid in form of horizontal and vertical bands, adobe walls, Peru (left-S. Brzev and right-N. Tarque)

Concrete block masonry reinforced with fibre reinforced composite mesh (J. Sherstobitoff)

Concrete block masonry reinforced with fibre reinforced composite mesh, Canada (J. Sherstobitoff)