Textile structures are extensively used in construction in forms of geotextiles. The
retrofitting of existing masonry walls and soil structures is particularly important for earthquake
protection of historic buildings and protection of earthworks against landslides. Unreinforced
masonry structures are highly vulnerable because being originally designed mainly for gravity loads
they often cannot withstand the dynamic horizontal loads in case of strong earthquakes. Soil
structures, such as embankments, are subjected to landslides after heavy rainfalls or during
earthquakes. Hence the necessity to develop efficient methods for the retrofitting of existing
masonry buildings and earthworks and of related monitoring systems to possibly prevent the
structural damage. To solve the above issues new multifunctional textile structures are being
developed for application in construction for the retrofitting of masonry structures and earthworks,
integrating a combination of different functions, including structural health monitoring.
CHARACTERISTICS OF HEAVY RAINFALLS AND SEDIMENT DISASTERS IN TAIWAN, JULY 2001
