Vernacular earthen buildings from Leiria, Portugal – Architectural survey towards their conservation and retrofitting

In Portugal, rammed earth monolithic walls and adobe masonry were, for several centuries, important construction techniques for dwellings. The frequent unnecessary demolition of these buildings, mainly due to lack of information related to them, lack or inadequate maintenance interventions, and advanced state of degradation, has been leading to great cultural and material loss. To preserve this vernacular built heritage and all the technological knowledge related to it, it is fundamental to understand the constructive technologies. Several earthen buildings from Leiria region were mapped and inspected, and two of them were taken as case studies. This architectural survey allowed studying their construction specificities, main building pathology, and thus contributing to Leiria's vernacular earthen buildings efficient preservation and use.