这Washington Monumentwill soon be swaddled in scaffolding as part of the expected $15 million effort torepair damagefrom last summer’s 5.8 magnitude earthquake. (You can "relive" the earthquake experience with this Reuters视频。)

基于detailed engineering assessmentsconducted following the August 23, 2011, temblor the National Park Service has determined that loose and在127岁的555英尺，5-1/8的高大无质砌体方尖碑上，破裂的石头，流离失所的迫击炮和其他外部损坏需要大量维修，以消除安全危害并保留纪念碑的结构完整性。

Above, an NPS头盔视频视频details some of the resulting damage。

这12- to 18-month repair project, which NPS put out to bid on June 29, calls for removal of loose stone fragments, securing loose pieces of stone with small drilled anchors, sealing of cracked panels via sealant and/or epoxy, stone patching via Dutchman and/or mortar patches, and repointing mortar joints. The Monument’s lightning protection system will also be refurbished.

Concurrent interior repairs will address cracked stone panels, rib stones and rib-bearing haunches, and tie-beams.

A presentation of the repair summar can be viewed on theNPS website。

这将是第二次15年of the nation's most iconic symbols has become a high-profile construction site. Between 1998 and 2000, a 565-foot high-capacity aluminum scaffolding system was erected to support a $5 million restoration program.

For that system, specially designed 2.5-ft long V-shaped corner braces with foam isolator pads allowed the freestanding scaffolding to “hug” the Monument without placing added weight on it. Blue mesh fabric provided both a decorative element to the scaffolding and protected workers.

A similar system will likely be used for the equarthquake repairs, requiring the temporary removal of a circular stone plaza, flagpoles, and marble benches at the Monument's base.

但是，尽管华盛顿纪念碑在先前的修复项目中保持开放，但是地震维修将有必要使流行的旅游胜地保持关闭，直到完成工作为止。

维修是由750万美元的国会授权以及华盛顿商人戴维·鲁宾斯坦（David Rubenstein）的捐款提供资金的。

And thoughit may be decades-如果曾经-在另一场地震隆隆到DC区域之前，NPS委托的地面运动漏洞的草稿版本建议不加强方法。最终报告将于本月晚些时候到期。