Mechanical analysis of the dry stone walls built by the Incas
In this paper, the retaining walls in the agricultural terraces built by the Incas are analyzed from a mechanical point of view. In order to do so, ten different walls from the Lower Agricultural Sector of Machu Picchu, Perú, were selected using images from Google Street View and Google Earth Pro. T...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
EDP Sciences
2017-01-01
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| Series: | EPJ Web of Conferences |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201714006012 |
| _version_ | 1818653232283516928 |
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| author | Castro Jaime Vallejo Luis E. Estrada Nicolas |
| author_facet | Castro Jaime Vallejo Luis E. Estrada Nicolas |
| author_sort | Castro Jaime |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this paper, the retaining walls in the agricultural terraces built by the Incas are analyzed from a mechanical point of view. In order to do so, ten different walls from the Lower Agricultural Sector of Machu Picchu, Perú, were selected using images from Google Street View and Google Earth Pro. Then, these walls were digitalized and their mechanical stability was evaluated. Firstly, it was found that these retaining walls are characterized by two distinctive features: disorder and a block size distribution with a large size span, i.e., the particle size varies from blocks that can be carried by one person to large blocks weighing several tons. Secondly, it was found that, thanks to the large span of the block size distribution, the factor of safety of the Inca retaining walls is remarkably close to those that are recommended in modern geotechnical design standards. This suggests that these structures were not only functional but also highly optimized, probably as a result of a careful trial and error procedure. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T02:34:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4e7d9bda161d4baeac09c4f761bc431b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2100-014X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T02:34:38Z |
| publishDate | 2017-01-01 |
| publisher | EDP Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | EPJ Web of Conferences |
| spelling | doaj.art-4e7d9bda161d4baeac09c4f761bc431b2022-12-21T22:06:52ZengEDP SciencesEPJ Web of Conferences2100-014X2017-01-011400601210.1051/epjconf/201714006012epjconf162299Mechanical analysis of the dry stone walls built by the IncasCastro Jaime0Vallejo Luis E.1Estrada Nicolas2Departamento de Ingeniería Civil y Ambiental, Universidad de los AndesDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of PittsburghDepartamento de Ingeniería Civil y Ambiental, Universidad de los AndesIn this paper, the retaining walls in the agricultural terraces built by the Incas are analyzed from a mechanical point of view. In order to do so, ten different walls from the Lower Agricultural Sector of Machu Picchu, Perú, were selected using images from Google Street View and Google Earth Pro. Then, these walls were digitalized and their mechanical stability was evaluated. Firstly, it was found that these retaining walls are characterized by two distinctive features: disorder and a block size distribution with a large size span, i.e., the particle size varies from blocks that can be carried by one person to large blocks weighing several tons. Secondly, it was found that, thanks to the large span of the block size distribution, the factor of safety of the Inca retaining walls is remarkably close to those that are recommended in modern geotechnical design standards. This suggests that these structures were not only functional but also highly optimized, probably as a result of a careful trial and error procedure.https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201714006012 |
| spellingShingle | Castro Jaime Vallejo Luis E. Estrada Nicolas Mechanical analysis of the dry stone walls built by the Incas EPJ Web of Conferences |
| title | Mechanical analysis of the dry stone walls built by the Incas |
| title_full | Mechanical analysis of the dry stone walls built by the Incas |
| title_fullStr | Mechanical analysis of the dry stone walls built by the Incas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mechanical analysis of the dry stone walls built by the Incas |
| title_short | Mechanical analysis of the dry stone walls built by the Incas |
| title_sort | mechanical analysis of the dry stone walls built by the incas |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201714006012 |
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