Structural characterization and seismic performance of San Francisco Church, the most ancient monument in Santiago, Chile

Abstract

The Church of San Francisco is the oldest religious building in use in Chile and an iconic and historical heritage landmark of the capital Santiago. The church, the result of joint work between the Spanish and local indigenous people, was built in stone and brick masonry and has been modified by additions and constructive changes since its construction in 1586. The building has shown a remarkable resilience, withstanding about 15 destructive earthquakes. As part of research whose goal is to discover the basis of the structural behavior of the church, in this article a safety assessment of the monument is carried out based on a multi-disciplinary approach. Main fields comprises historical research, in situ surveys, crack pattern analysis, physical and mechanical characterization of materials, and multi-level structural analyses. The results highlight the particularities of the building and the current seismic vulnerabilities in order to provide a robust knowledge basis on which possibly pivoting future consolidation and safeguarding strategies could be done.