BAKÁS PILIPINAS, in collaboration with AMH Philippines, Structural Engineers, with a grant from the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, and with volunteer consulting services provided by several US-based preservation experts, continues to assist the Nuestra Senora del Rosario Church in Antequera, Bohol, in restoring their earthquake-damaged structure. The church dates from the early 20th century American colonial period.
The project involved the testing, investigation and analysis of the heritage structure, one of the first concrete structures in Bohol. The structure was constructed as a cast-in-place reinforced concrete frame with concrete infill wall panels. The structure was found to have minimal reinforcing of the concrete and inadequate column-beam connections.
It appears that these older, pre-1941 concrete may not be comparable to modern concrete construction. The concrete found in this structure may be weaker than present-day concrete due to large and not well-graded aggregates, and possible use of non-Portland cement.
The findings from the testing and investigation of this church will inform the team about similar American colonial concrete structures in the Philippines.
Taking a core sample of the existing concrete for compression testing. Non-destructive testing was also done previously by Engr. Michael Schuller of Atkinson-Noland Engineers.
The AMH Philippines Engineering Team, Mary Grace Casuncad and Ellen del Rosario, Architect Zach Rice and Engineer Evan Speer inspecting the damaged interior of the church.
The structure was built with frames of reinforced concrete columns and minimally reinforced concrete infill wall panels between the columns. The roof was previously raised, as evidenced by the continuous horizontal crack a few feet below the roof eaves, the joint between the original and the added walls above.