Aware of the negative impacts of Storm Kristin on 28 January in the Leiria region, the Research Group on Masonry and Historic Buildings (HMS) at ISISE, the School of Engineering’s Research Centre, has, on its own initiative, formed a task force to assess the effects of the storm. The task force comprises the following members:

Paulo Lourenço, Full Professor; Luís Ramos, Assistant Professor; Rafael Ramirez, Postdoctoral Researcher; Annalaura Vuoto, Eduarda Vila-Chã, Juan Arias, and Sandra Graus, PhD students.

A mission to assess the damage caused to buildings in general, including cultural and religious heritage sites, was carried out from 18 to 21 February and on 2 March.

This involved a systematic data collection process, using visual inspections supplemented by photographs, drones, laser scanners and other auxiliary equipment.

The surveys were carried out in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Heritage of the Diocese of Leiria-Fátima, Leiria Municipal Council, Marinha Grande Municipal Council and Museus e Monumentos Portugal I.P., which also shared relevant information with the mission team.

In general, the effects of the storm were observed on vegetation, infrastructure, public spaces, public buildings, industrial buildings and residential buildings. In more detail, damage was also recorded at the following buildings:

– Convent of Christ in Tomar;

– Alcobaça Monastery;

– Leiria Castle;

– Leiria Cathedral;

– Historic Centre of Leiria;

– Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Encarnação, Leiria;

– Sanctuary of Senhor Jesus dos Milagres, Leiria;

– Afonso Lopes Vieira House Museum in São Pedro de Moel;

– Marinha Grande Municipal Exhibition Park;

– Vieira de Leiria Municipal Swimming Pools;

– Padre Franklin Preparatory School in Vieira de Leiria.

The ultimate aim is to carry out risk assessment studies to help minimise the impact of climate change on built heritage in the future.

The project team is currently finalising the first report; a student on the European Master’s in Structural Analysis of Monuments and Historic Buildings, under the supervision of Prof. Luís Ramos, is beginning his dissertation on the topic ‘Analysis of the effects of Storm Kristin on Portuguese built heritage’ and an application is currently being submitted to the FCT for a non-academic PhD scholarship on the topic ‘Risk Analysis and inspection procedures for catastrophic events on built heritage’, under the supervision of Prof. Luís Ramos and Prof. Giovanna Masciotta from the ‘G. d’Annunzio’ University of Chieti-Pescara, Italy.

News report available here