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

forty-five percent commented that a 4-inch roof was the preferred thicknessfor an earthquake-safe construction (only 11% of trained masons statedsimilarly).• Although not an earthquake-safe feature specifically, both trained anduntrained masons remarked that the foundation must be dug until hardground is reached, depths and widths varied from 2-3ft deep and 1.5 –3ftwide.Frame structuresThe results for frame structures with respect to foundation, walls, openings androofs are generally the same as described for load-bearing structures. Additionalcomments specific to frame structures are listed here.• Trained masons from Study Area A are able to describe the optimumdistance between stirrups on the column (6 inches) and the recommendeddiameter of the steel rod and rings (8mm ring, 10-12mm rods), both anintegral component of earthquake-safe building practices. Untrained masonsmake no mention of these features listing instead various dimensions of thecolumn itself (ranging from 9x9, 9x12, 10x12 inches).3.1.1d Commonly requested features/Important featuresWhen asked which features are most requested by homeowners seventy-twopercent of trained masons, in stark comparison to eight percent of untrainedmasons, list column. Alternatively, the most commonly requested feature in theAlmora region according to ninety-one percent of respondents is simply a “stronghouse”. This is also a principle request in the Rudraprayag region (twenty-fivepercent), however the demand for additional features such as columns and bands(forty-seven percent) highlights the success of earthquake safety awarenesscampaigns in the region. If homeowners aren’t aware of what features couldimprove the structural integrity of their home then there won’t be a demand forthem as appears to be the case in Almora.The Role of NGOs in Disaster Mitigation and Response – A Case Study in Uttarakhand, Northern India 45