Physics-Based Simulation of Seismic Collapse in Heritage Masonry Churches of Bohol, Philippines

Physics-based simulations reveal that Baroque masonry churches in Bohol, Philippines, remain structurally intact under Intensity VIII earthquakes but experience progressive collapse at higher intensities (IX and X), mirroring damage observed during the 2013 Bohol earthquake. The study leveraged open-source Blender software with the Bullet Constraints Builder (BCB) add-on to model seismic response with reduced computational demands compared to traditional finite element methods. This approach offers a rapid, data-efficient tool for assessing structural vulnerability and failure mechanisms in heritage masonry, supporting disaster risk reduction and preservation efforts in seismically active regions.

Reymarvelos M. Oros, & Joel G. Opon. (2025). Physics-Based Simulation of Seismic Collapse in Heritage Masonry Churches of Bohol, Philippines. Proceedings of International Exchange and Innovation Conference on Engineering & Sciences (IEICES), 11, 427–434. https://doi.org/10.5109/7395552