Seismic Resistance of Vernacular Timber Frames with Infills

"Traditional houses represent a major part of local culture, and the timber frames houses of Japan and Romania are outstanding examples. Their functionality, and the local materials used for these house, are not very different between Japan and Romania. They especially face challenges from earthquake loading and fire, and particular issues in their preservation; and also provide lessons for new construction using local materials. This focuses on the details of traditional construction methods and compares them from an engineer's perspective, especially taking account of the local seismic environment. The same challenges are found world-wide, although intensity and frequency vary"--