A Case Study in Uttarakhand, Northern India - Geological & Mining ...

Frame structureFramed structures have columns and beams and the load distribution is calculatedby frame analysis. The load of the roof is distributed among the columns andbeams; essentially the entire structure moves as a single frame hence the name“frame structure”. In addition to the features used in a load-bearing structure, suchas plinth, lintel, small openings and light roofs it is essential to have columns at thecorners. The diameter of the reinforcement bars of the column should be aminimum of 10mm, the minimum diameter of the stirrups should be 8mm, thestirrups should be bent at a 135°angle, and the distance between stirrups shouldbe between 6 –12 inches.The following features have been used in this study and in previous housing impactassessments by PSI. A building is classified as being earthquake-safe or unsafebased on the presence or absence of these features. For a pictorial view ofpertinent earthquake-safe features with brief description please refer to Annex I.It is interesting to note that houses in this region were traditionally constructed withthese design features albeit with local, traditional materials such as stone, mud andwood. These techniques and use of materials have been pushed to the wayside formodern construction practices defined typically by concrete. Masons indicate thatthese practices shifted dramatically after the building boom following the aftermathof the Uttarkashi earthquake; these new methods and techniques became the localfashion (DMMC report, 2007). Therefore, the technology, or perhaps better saidknow-how for building earthquake-safe houses has been in the region for years butthe methods and materials are changing. Without properly managing this buildingtrend through training masons, development of building byelaws and awarenessprogrammes houses run the unfortunate risk of be constructed haphazardly in anarea of high seismic vulnerability, essentially a disaster waiting to happen.The only way to prepare for disasters, in particular destructive forces such asearthquakes is to ensure safe construction practices. It is not practical primarilyfrom a financial perspective, to assume that all buildings in an area can beThe Role of NGOs in Disaster Mitigation and Response – A Case Study in Uttarakhand, Northern India 34