Building a safer future: Rice researcher works to strengthen Haiti’s earthquake resilience

(Press-News.org) Over the past two decades, Haiti has endured the devastation of two catastrophic earthquakes — first in 2010 and again in 2021. Each disaster left behind widespread destruction: buildings reduced to rubble, entire communities displaced and an overwhelming loss of life. A major factor in the severity of these tragedies was the widespread structural failure of poorly designed buildings, many of which were not constructed to withstand the powerful tremors.

Marc-Ansy Laguerre, a postdoctoral associate in civil and environmental engineering at Rice University, is determined to change that.

Having grown up in Haiti, Laguerre witnessed firsthand the devastation caused by these natural disasters. He says living through the 2010 earthquake, which claimed an estimated 300,000 lives, reinforced his commitment to helping build a safer future for his country.

His academic path has been laser-focused on this mission. Before attending Rice as a graduate student and now a postdoc, Laguerre earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the State University of Haiti then attended the University of Pittsburgh as a Fulbright Scholar, earning a master’s degree in civil engineering and a graduate certificate in Latin American studies. Laguerre said he hopes to work in earthquake mitigation and education to protect vulnerable communities from future disasters.

At Rice, Laguerre has found a mentor in Reginald DesRoches, an internationally recognized structural engineer and earthquake resilience expert. Now the university’s president, DesRoches previously served as the William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Engineering at the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing, the role he held when Laguerre arrived at Rice.

Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, DesRoches said he felt an immediate connection with Laguerre and recognized his potential early on. Even after assuming the presidency in 2022, he has remained actively involved as Laguerre’s adviser.

“Marc is deeply committed to building a more resilient Haiti, and his passion for earthquake mitigation is both inspiring and essential,” DesRoches said. “His dedication to using engineering to protect communities from future disasters reflects the kind of leadership and innovation we need in this field. I have no doubt that his work will make a lasting impact.”

Haiti’s seismic vulnerability

Together with Mohammad Salehi of the engineering firm Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Laguerre and DesRoches conducted a comprehensive numerical analysis to assess the seismic vulnerability of reinforced concrete (RC) structures in Haiti. Their research, recently published in Earthquake Spectra, explores cost-effective retrofitting solutions that could help fortify buildings against future earthquakes.

“The level of destruction from these earthquakes is a reminder of the urgent need for stronger, safer construction practices in Haiti,” Laguerre said. “Unfortunately, many buildings, especially those constructed before 2010, were not built with seismic resilience in mind.”

The study focused on common structural weaknesses in Haitian RC buildings, which are prevalent in both residential and commercial construction. Many of these buildings suffer from insufficient column reinforcement, poor concrete quality and a lack of lateral load resistance — design flaws that make them highly vulnerable to collapse.

“Haitian buildings were largely constructed without seismic codes in place,” Laguerre said. “Many of them rely on weak columns with minimal reinforcement, which means they cannot properly absorb earthquake forces. When the ground shakes, these structures collapse instead of flexing or redistributing energy.”

Engineering solutions

To determine the most effective retrofitting methods, Laguerre, DesRoches and Salehi created detailed 3D computer models of four common Haitian building types ranging from single-story homes to multistory commercial structures. Using advanced engineering software, they simulated earthquake forces and tested five different retrofitting techniques:

● RC jacketing — adding reinforced concrete around existing columns to strengthen them.

● RC shear walls — thick concrete walls that provide additional lateral support.

● Steel braces — rigid frames that help buildings absorb seismic forces.

● Buckling-restrained braces (BRBs) — specially designed braces that flex without breaking.

● Prestressed high-strength steel cables — tensioned cables that reinforce structures.

The goal of these retrofits was to bring buildings to a Life Safety Code performance level, meaning that while structures could sustain damage during a major earthquake, they would remain intact and prevent catastrophic collapse.

“To evaluate the effectiveness of each retrofit strategy under real seismic conditions, we applied 11 simulated ground motions — one of which was recorded in Haiti — representing the Earth’s surface movement during an earthquake,” Laguerre said.

The team found that all five retrofitting techniques improved seismic performance, but their effectiveness varied depending on the building type.

For residential buildings, the best results came from using steel braces combined with RC jacketing, which significantly reduced structural movement during an earthquake.

“Steel braces are a practical and relatively low-cost way to strengthen homes,” Laguerre said. “When combined with RC jacketing, which reinforces the existing columns, it creates a much stronger structure.”

For larger, nonresidential buildings, BRBs and shear walls proved to be the most effective solutions. These reinforcements helped distribute earthquake forces more evenly, reducing the risk of collapse.

“For schools, hospitals and government buildings — places where structural failure would be disastrous — adding BRBs or shear walls should be a priority,” Laguerre said. “These global retrofit techniques substantially reduced interstory drift demands, decreasing the risk of collapse.”

A roadmap for a safer Haiti

The study’s findings have significant implications for Haiti’s disaster preparedness strategy. With limited resources, the country needs retrofitting solutions that are both effective and cost-conscious.

“We can’t prevent earthquakes, but we can prevent buildings from collapsing,” Laguerre said. “This research provides a roadmap for making existing structures safer while keeping costs manageable.”

Beyond engineering solutions, the team stressed the importance of policy changes and education initiatives to promote safer construction practices.

“These findings can inform building codes and guide engineering practices for safer construction,” Laguerre said. “We want to create lasting changes so that when the next earthquake strikes, Haiti will be better prepared to withstand it.”

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