Claire Limoge Schraen, a doctoral student at the LMT laboratory at ENS Cachan, has been selected as a fellow of the L'ORÉAL-UNESCO "For Women in Science 2014" program.
Claire, a doctoral student in civil engineering and architecture, is working on her dissertation "Natural Hazard Prevention—Seismic Behavior and Seismic Retrofitting of Historic Masonry Monuments" at the School, under the supervision of Frédéric Ragueneau and Cédric Giry, her co-advisor, at Laboratory of Mechanics and Technology (LMT-ENS Cachan).
His thesis is also being supervised by Cédric Desprez of the Ifsttar and in collaboration with the GSA laboratory at ENSA Paris Malaquais.
She explains: “Our study focuses on the 200 Baroque religious buildings in the high valleys of Savoie, which we have inventoried and surveyed.
The goal is to develop a method for analyzing and processing architectural, structural, and geographic data based on simplified, large-scale numerical models.
This will enable us to provide an initial assessment of the seismic vulnerability of large-scale historic structures by identifying and prioritizing damage modes.
Practical Applications and Benefits
This information will be particularly useful for heritage professionals who are not structural engineers, such as municipalities that wish to know which buildings to prioritize, or architects who need to decide whether to consult a structural engineer regarding seismic risk.
It will also help determine which buildings require more detailed studies, based on structural criteria rather than economic viability.
In this context, we aim to refine the models of the churches most at risk in structurally critical zones and then test reinforcement solutions.
Research Grant
I’m already planning to use part of my grant to collaborate with Professor in February and March.unipd.it/category/ruoli/personale-docente?key=3EC689052AB683C9AF4520927A9D248B">Claudio Modena at the ICEA laboratory at the University of Padua in Italy
In the longer term, I’d like to adapt this method to other types of historic structures: multi-story buildings, and other construction techniques such as half-timbering or brick, for example."
L’Oréal-UNESCO Fellowship
“In partnership with UNESCO, the ‘For Women in Science’ program supports women scientists from every continent at various stages of their careers.”
The fellowship recognizes scientific excellence, originality in research, and the ability to inspire others with a passion for science—qualities that define these exceptional young women.