Carbon fiber reinforcement in educational buildings in the CDMX

The deformation effects caused by the earthquake of September 19 2017 with a magnitude M=7.1 resulted in the structural weakening of more than 2000 educational buildings. However the alternative of implementing synthetic polymer fibers has generated a new life expectancy for these buildings; increasing their load capacity up to 10 times its original value. Therefore the structural behavior of school buildings constructed between the 70s and 90s under the direction of the Administrative Committee of the Federal School Construction Program (CAPFCE) is analyzed verifying their load capacity for the current normative requirements and determining their possible structural reinforcement by means of carbon fibers. Finally the criteria for the reinforcement of their load-bearing elements are suggested thus guaranteeing the preservation of the buildings and the structural longevity of their occupants.