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


Masonry walls that are reinforced against earthquake forces by horizontal, vertical, and/or diagonal wood members. The wood reinforcement might consist of wood bond beams at eaves level to tie walls together or may be vertical posts attached to walls to reduce the amount of earthquake damage.

RW_Pakistan_Bothara_1

Rubble stone masonry in mud mortar with timber bands (local name: Bhatar), NWFP, Pakistan (J. Bothara)

RW_India_Rai_2

Taq is a timber-laced masonry construction where horizontal timbers are embedded in masonry walls at each floor level; this is a traditional construction found in Kashmir, India (D. Rai)

Adobe building with a wood bond beam at eaves level, Peru (M. Blondet)

Adobe building with a wood bond beam at eaves level, Peru (M. Blondet)

Dhajji Dewari construction in Kashmir, India (D. Rai)

Dhajji Dewari construction in Kashmir, India (D. Rai)

RW_Portugal_Brzev_3

RW_Portugal_Brzev_1RW_Portugal_Brzev_2

"Pombalino" buildings in Lisbon, Portugal are historic masonry buildings with wooden bracing members; these buildings were built after the devastating 1755 earthquake - refer to World Housing Encyclopedia Report 92 (Cardoso, Lopes, Bento, and D'Ayala) for more information

RW_Chile_Brzev_1

RW_Chile_Astroza_1

RW_Chile_Astroza_2

RW_Chile_Astroza_3

Wood reinforced adobe buildings can be found in Chile (tabiquería de madera rellena de adobe). The photo at the top shows a building in Santiago (note the exposed wall portion) and the bottom photos shows a building in Cauquenes damaged in the 2010 Maule earthquake (S. Brzev and M. Astroza)

RW_Algeria_Farsi_1

Wood-reinforced stone masonry, Algeria (M. Farsi)

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