On October 20th in Chengdu, nearly 150 experts from countries including China, Greece, Italy, and Japan gathered for the 2024 International Academic Symposium on Earthquake Resistance of Cultural Heritage. The focus of this symposium was the preservation of cultural artifacts—treasures of history that are at risk of damage or destruction due to natural disasters like earthquakes. Discussions covered a range of topics including advancements in earthquake resistance technology, risk management for museum collections, and the impact of climate on architectural heritage.

Ge JiaqI, a researcher at the China Aviation Planning and Design Institute, shared insights about their team’s research focused on brick and wood structures. They developed theoretical methods for predicting damage to these historic buildings. One innovative approach they introduced, likened to traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis, allows for the identification of critical performance parameters necessary for assessing the integrity of cultural buildings. Their findings have already been applied in the restoration of cultural sites in the Aba region of Sichuan.

Wu Laiming, a researcher at the Shanghai Museum and deputy director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration’s key research center for the preservation environment of museum collections, discussed the establishment of a comprehensive earthquake resistance theoretical framework for museum collections. He emphasized the importance of managing risks from four main factors: “earthquake waves, building structures, display cases, and the artifacts themselves.” Wu advocates for further research to refine these risk factors to develop effective risk assessment methodologies for disaster preparedness.

Pei Qiangqiang, a researcher and deputy director of the Preservation Research Institute at the Dunhuang Academy, focused on the protection of earthen sites along the Silk Road. He presented a complete testing apparatus for assessing the static and dynamic responses of earth structures and detailed a calculation model for evaluating stability. This research provides essential technical support for the preservation of earthen heritage sites.

Hiroshi Wada, a researcher at the Tokyo National Museum and head of the Conservation Science Division, highlighted the critical importance of the concept of “damage reduction” in museum disaster preparedness. He stressed the necessity of understanding risks based on past experiences, experiments, and predictions to mitigate earthquake damage to artifacts. “Knowing the potential level of destruction from various earthquake magnitudes is crucial for effective disaster response,” he stated.

Lastly, Yu Jian, the deputy director and researcher at the Sanxingdui Museum, pointed out the significance of systematically quantifying and equipping different artifacts with safety measures to enhance their earthquake resistance. For instance, the museum is applying three-dimensional data scanning to large, uniquely shaped artifacts like the bronze tree and humanoid statues. This data forms the basis for creating simulation models to analyze the response of these artifacts during seismic events, ultimately aiding in risk assessment.