The tomb of ancient Egyptian King Tutankhamen, located in the Valley of the Kings, has experienced instability and damage from flash flooding and major faults that has worsened over time. One expert outlined methods for reinforcing the underground tomb using innovative technology.

In a study, published earlier this year in the journal Nature, Sayed Hemeda, a researcher in the architectural conservation department at Cairo University, used geotechnical modeling and PLAXIS 3D software to calculate stresses and deformation patterns in the tomb.

This tomb, which includes four main chambers with an entrance ramp and stairs, sits in a low-lying position dug into the valley’s floor. This allowed for its entrance to be hidden by debris amid flooding and tomb construction, but has also made it more vulnerable to geostatic loading from overhead rocks and rock bursts. A prominent fault line, along which earthquakes can reach a magnitude 6 on the Richter scale, also runs through the tomb. Water damage from recent flash floods due to climate change has caused further damage to the tomb’s support pillars and walls, along with changing moisture levels in the nearby Esna shale.