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(a) People occupying a collapsed building in Kathmandu (picture taken in August 2015), (b) People sitting in restricted area (danger zone) at Kathmandu Durbar Square (picture taken in January 2016)
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A Rapid Visual Damage Assessment was initiated in the direct aftermath of the 2015 Gorkha earthquake to assess the safety and damage of residential buildings in the areas affected by the earthquake. Over 30,000 paper assessment forms have been subsequently digitized. The collected dataset allows to compare the observed damage to the residential bui...
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This paper reports the seismic vulnerability of vernacular Newari buildings based on the damage observations during four major earthquakes (1934, 1988, 2011 and 2015) that struck Bhaktapur city. Some specific features that contributed to collapse prevention in traditional masonry buildings are also highlighted in this paper. In this paper, we have...
Citations
... In the weeks following the 25 April 2015 Gorkha earthquake, more than 60,000 buildings were inspected [46] . The available surveys have been digitalized manually by the NEA [46] , creating a digitized data set of 30,067 buildings [50] . The database was preprocessed manually to eliminate incomplete data (e.g., missing information about the construction type) and to include only residential buildings. ...
... This might be explained by considering the influence of local soil conditions or local building styles in the districts characterized by PGA = 0.30g. Furthermore, it cannot be neglected that different inspection instructions might have been given to the inspectors, such as to inspect the buildings that look damaged from the exterior, which could increase the number of buildings in medium and high damage state [50] . ...
Earthquake is one of the natural disasters that affects the buildings and communities in developing countries. It causes different levels of damages to the buildings, making them uninhabitable for a period of time, called downtime (DT). This paper proposes a Fuzzy Logic hierarchical method to estimate the downtime of residential buildings in developing countries after an earthquake. The use of expert-based systems allows quantifying the indicators involved in the model using descriptive knowledge instead of hard data, accounting also for the uncertainties that may affect the analysis. The applicability of the methodology is illustrated using the information gathered after the 2015 Gorkha, Nepal, earthquake as a case study. On April 25, 2015, Nepal was hit by the Mw 7.8 Gorkha earthquake, which damaged and destroyed more than 500.000 residential buildings. Information obtained from a Rapid Visual Damage Assessment (RVDA) is used through a hierarchical scheme to evaluate the building damageability. Sensitivity analysis based on Sobol method is implemented to evaluate the importance of parameters gathered in the RVDA for building damage estimation. The findings of this work may be used to estimate the restoration time of damaged buildings in developing countries and to plan preventive safety measures.
... Setelah gempa bumi, pemerintah melakukan penilaian bangunan dan deteksi kerusakan. Berbagai prosedur penilaian pasca gempa serupa digunakan di seluruh dunia (Yavari et al., 2010;Marshall et al., 2013;Didier et al., 2017). Penilaian cepat pada kerusakan merupakan salah satu cara untuk mendeteksi secara cepat tingkat kerusakan bangunan. ...
Gempabumi yang terjadi di Majene dan Mamuju dengan skala M 6,2 pada 15 Januari 2021 pukul 02.28.17 WITA menyebabkan banyak korban jiwa, selain itu bangunan seperti rumah tinggal dan fasilitas umum mengalami kerusakan parah. Bangunan ini kebanyakan dibangun tidak berdasarkan kaidah bangunan tahan gempa sesuai SNI-1726-2019. Kegiatan pengabdian ini bertujuan memberikan penyuluhan kepada masyarakat dan pemberi jasa konstruksi/tukang dalam membangun bangunan sederhana yang tahan terhadap gempa di Kecamatan Banggae Timur, Kabupaten Majene, Sulawesi Barat. Metode yang digunakan dalam pengabdian ini adalah dengan memberikan paparan teori, diskusi tanya jawab dan kusioner pilihan ganda. Hasil pengabdian ini dinyatakan berhasil berdasarkan hasil kusioner post-test yang nilainya meningkat setelah pemberian materi. Ini menandakan peserta telah memahami pentingnya dan paham aturan teknis pada sistem perencanaan dan pembangunan konstruksi bangunan tahan gempa. Akan tetapi, tim pengabdian belum dapat memantau perubahan perilaku terhadap sistem perencanaan dan pembangunan konstruksi bangunan sederhana tahan gempa yang terjadi pada peserta mengingat terbatasnya waktu.
... In this regard, earthquakes are among the most violent events threatening the safeguard of such constructions [2]. Several cases in southern European, and in many other parts of the world, have shown the fragility of built environments when faced with ground motions [3][4][5]. Hence, much effort has been made by the scientific community to find robust approaches to preserve non-engineered and vernacular structures [6][7][8]. Besides the standard constructions that characterize the historical centers of cities around the world, specific attention must be paid to cultural heritage buildings (CHBs) [9]. ...
This paper presents the results of the application of a holistic procedure for a seismic vulnerability analysis of complex masonry aggregates which are ascribable as cultural heritage buildings. The methodological framework allowed us to properly identify the structural units comprising a historical palace through a hierarchical approach combining integrated geometrical and structural surveys with non-destructive (ND) and minor destructive (MD) techniques. The investigations were conducted on a significant palace located in the historical center of Florence, the Palagio di Parte Guelfa. The building covers an entire urban block, as it is constituted by many structural units developed over the centuries since the Roman period. The palace incorporates pre-existing structures, such as the Church of Santa Maria Sopra Porta and medieval terraced houses. Over the decades, different restorations and renovations have been carried out, including by Filippo Brunelleschi in the XV century and by Vasari in the XVI. Nowadays, the building constitutes an urban cluster. Our seismic vulnerability analysis took advantage of a specific knowledge path which was suitable for the identification of the different structural units of the palace. To this end, the historical evolution of the construction was traced through bibliographic research and ND surveys. We finally assessed the seismic performance of the different units according to different approaches, i.e., a rapid assessment based on simplified computations at the global scale, and a kinematic analysis for local phenomena.
... Afterward the earthquake, the first to respond to a catastrophe were civil engineers who led and coordinated the entire organization of building assessment and construction damage analysis. Several similar post-earthquake assessment procedures are used internationally (Yavari et al. 2010;Marshall et al. 2013;Didier et al. 2017). In the first week after Mila earthquake, a large number of constructions were examined, with a rapid post-earthquake assessment. ...
On August 7th, 2020, a magnitude Mw = 5.0 earthquake shook 5 km north of Mila city center, northeast of Algeria, causing substantial damage directly to structures, and indirectly from induced impacts of landslides and rock falls, ultimately disrupt to everyday civilian life. Given the recent significant seismic occurrences in the region, a detailed and comprehensive examination and assessment of post-earthquake damage is critical to Algeria. This is primarily because masonry, concrete, and colonial-era structures are sensitive to horizontal motions caused by seismic waves, and because masonry and concrete structures constitute a substantial portion of today’s Algeria's build environment. We present a post-earthquake investigation of the Mila earthquake, starting from the earthquake source, and a catalogue of buildings type, damage categorization, and failure patterns of residential structures in Mila's historic old town, where colonial-era brick buildings prevail. We find that structures that represent notable architectural achievements were severely damaged as a result of the earthquake. Data acquired during the immediate post-earthquake analysis was also evaluated and discussed. The graphical representations of the damages are detailed and complemented by photos. This seismic event has shown the fragility of Algeria's building stock, which must be addressed properly in future years. This study reports on an overall estimate of residential buildings in Mila's lower city, as well as an evaluation of the seismic vulnerability of three neighborhood towns (El-Kherba, Grareme-Gouga, and Azzeba). A generic database for graphical surveys and geometric research was developed and implemented making it possible to evaluate the shear strength on-site. The broad observations, collated data, and consequences were then loaded into the 3Muri structural verification program. Nonlinear static analysis was conducted to analyze probable failure paths and compare the real damage to the software results.
... The challenges in educational infrastructure (Westoby et al. 2021) and in carrying out overall reconstruction activities (Sharma et al. 2018) have also been presented. In addition, a review of a special approach used in rural housing reconstruction (Gautam and Cortes 2021), evaluation of earthquake-resistant construction approaches (Didier et al. 2017;Hendriks and Opdyke 2021;Liu et al. 2021), and resiliency assessment of housing reconstruction (Lam and Kuipers 2019) were reported. Platt et al. (2020) evaluated the progress and effectiveness of reconstruction activities approximately three years after the earthquake based on survey results. ...
The 2015 Gorkha earthquake was one of the most devastating earthquakes in Nepal in this century. Postdisaster reconstruction is a complex and highly challenging process, especially concerning developing countries like Nepal, as it involves several well-coordinated plans and working activities. Due to the large scale of devastation, the Nepal government created a separate body, the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), to manage and oversee recovery and reconstruction activities. This paper briefly discusses organizations typically involved in postdisaster reconstruction processes and the multifaceted roles they play. Document analysis on research papers, collected reports from the NRA, governmental departments, and many other organizations involved in the reconstruction was carried out. This study provides a comprehensive review of the reconstruction process after the 2015 Gorkha, Nepal, earthquake, whereas previous studies have covered a specific issue. The reconstruction works are presented structurally in detail. Similarly, the crucial steps and lesson learned for managing expectations and building back better are highlighted. This study may help to develop effective organization and policies in future postdisaster reconstruction.
... Therefore, a building can be categorized as usable (green label), temporarily unusable (yellow label) and unusable (red label). Similar types of assessment methods have been used across the world [16][17][18][19][20]. The full explanation of the usability levels is given in [21] and Appendix A. As previously mentioned, the urban center of the city of Zagreb consists of mainly unreinforced masonry buildings. ...
After the Zagreb earthquakes in March of 2020, around 25,000 buildings were estimated damaged, most of them being in the historic city center. This fact is not that surprising since most of the city center buildings are unreinforced masonry structures that have not been assessed in quite some time and usually no retrofitting methods were ever applied. The rapid post-disaster assessment began the same day after the first earthquake occurred. Through mostly visual assessment methods, the basic idea is to identify the safety and usability of buildings in general. This type of assessment was also conducted in one of the oldest Croatian cultural institutions, Matica Hrvatska. It is a building of great historical significance and cultural value, as is most of the city center. Accordingly , this building was constructed with no consideration given to seismic events and with the use of traditional materials and building techniques. In the scope of this paper, urgent actions that were taken are shown with problems and challenges that occurred. Furthermore, the decision-making process after an earthquake is elaborated. In addition, a numerical model is developed in 3Muri software for structural modeling. A non-linear static pushover analysis is performed, and possible failure mechanisms are examined. Furthermore, real-life damage is compared to the software results , and a conclusion process of the building's usability is explained. In the end, the results obtained are analyzed and conclusions regarding the efficiency of the used software are drawn.
... [187] offer a methodology that consists of a three-level system for the seismic assessment of existing Ukrainian buildings. Didier et al. (2017) [188] performed research, in which the seismic risk of the structures was assessed using the RVS form recommended by the Nepal Engineers' Association (NEA) following the 2015 Gorkha earthquake. The RVS form recommended by the NEA is essentially a copy of the form developed by the National Society for Earthquake Technology-Nepal (NSET) and the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC) [189] in 2009, and it is based on the ATC-20 [190] and the ATC-20-2 [191]. ...
... [187] offer a methodology that consists of a three-level system for the seismic assessment of existing Ukrainian buildings. Didier et al. (2017) [188] performed research, in which the seismic risk of the structures was assessed using the RVS form recommended by the Nepal Engineers' Association (NEA) following the 2015 Gorkha earthquake. The RVS form recommended by the NEA is essentially a copy of the form developed by the National Society for Earthquake Technology-Nepal (NSET) and the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC) [189] in 2009, and it is based on the ATC-20 [190] and the ATC-20-2 [191]. ...
Developments in the field of earthquake engineering over the past few decades have contributed to the development of new methods for evaluating the risk levels in buildings. These research methods are rapid visual screening (RVS), seismic risk indexes, and vulnerability assessments, which have been developed to assess the levels of damage in a building or its structural components. RVS methods have been proposed for the rapid pre- and/or post-earthquake screening of existing large building stock in earthquake-prone areas on the basis of sidewalk surveys. The site seismicity, the soil type, the building type, and the corresponding building characteristic features are to be separately examined, and the vulnerability level of each building can be identified by employing the RVS methods. This study describes, evaluates, and compares the findings of previous investigations that utilized conventional RVS methods within a framework. It also suggests the methods to be used for specific goals and proposes prospective enhancement strategies. Furthermore, the article discusses the time-consuming RVS methods (such as FEMA 154, which requires from 15 to 30 min, while NRCC requires one hour), and provides an overview of the application areas of the methods (pre-earthquake: FEMA 154, NRCC, NZEE, etc.; postearthquake: GNDT, EMS, etc.). This review of the traditional RVS methods offers a comprehensive guide and reference for field practitioners (e.g., engineers, architects), and recommends enhancement techniques (e.g., machine learning, fuzzy logic) for researchers to be used in future improvements.
... Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), 2013; Lindell and Prater, 2003). The condition of buildings affects their short-term usability and long-term re-occupancy, contributes to economic losses, and may amplify socio-demographic disparities in the affected region (Didier et al., 2017;Lindell and Prater, 2003). Because the condition of buildings affects many post-disaster activities, different groups conduct many types of building damage assessment. ...
... Straub and Der Kiureghian, 2008). In the longer-term, the development and/or refinement of fragility functions using empirical data is one way in which researchers, risk modeling and disaster risk financing groups, and insurance agencies use building-level damage data (Didier et al., 2017;Straub and Der Kiureghian, 2008). This may be more common in areas with less well-documented building types. ...
... For example, empirical building damage data is used to develop and/or refine fragility functions for less well-documented building types (e.g. Didier et al., 2017;Straub and Der Kiureghian, 2008). In turn, fragility functions play a key role in earthquake risk analysis. ...
After an earthquake, many responding organizations need to understand the scale and distribution of building damage to react effectively. However, their building damage information needs and information use remain poorly understood, limiting the efficacy of information production, sharing, and research. To clarify those needs, we conducted a two-part survey, comprising semi-structured interviews and an online questionnaire, of building damage information users and providers. Based on the interview data and questionnaire responses, we characterize six post-disaster tasks that rely on building damage information by their timing and by the necessary qualities of the information they require. Through inductive analysis of the interview data, we show that responders’ use of building damage information also depends on factors beyond the building damage information itself—namely, trust, impediments to information sharing, their varying understandings of disaster, and their attitudes toward emerging technologies. These factors must be considered in the design of any effort to create and/or disseminate post-disaster building damage information.
... After the earthquake, the first to respond to a disaster were civil engineers who led and coordinated the entire organization of building assessment and damage detection. Various similar post-earthquake assessment procedures are used worldwide [9][10][11]. ...
... Zone A includes the oldest and most architecturally valuable After the earthquake, the first to respond to a disaster were civil engineers who led and coordinated the entire organization of building assessment and damage detection. Various similar post-earthquake assessment procedures are used worldwide [9][10][11]. ...
In the wake of recent strong earthquakes in Croatia, there is a need for a detailed and more comprehensive post-earthquake damage assessment. Given that masonry structures are highly vulnerable to horizontal actions caused by earthquakes and a majority of the Croatian building stock is made of masonry, this field is particularly important for Croatia. In this paper, a complete assessment of an educational building in Zagreb Lower Town is reported. An extensive program of visual inspection and geometrical surveys has been planned and performed. Additionally, an in situ shear strength test is presented. After extensive fieldwork, collected data and results were input in 3Muri software for structural modeling. Moreover, a non-linear static (pushover) analysis was performed to individuate the possible failure mechanisms and to compare real-life damage to software results.
... accounts/login/?next=/#/forms/aa5iL3Gqb4p3aYL9h4NsTe), a digital data-collection platform developed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) and the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, allowing off-line data collection through a smartphone app, including geo-localization. Lessons learned from the use of the NRA assessment tool were considered before drafting this assessment tool (Didier et al., 2017). Evaluators could diverge from the standardized response fields if necessary, which increased the quality and completeness of the data. ...
Earthquake affected households too often insufficiently apply seismic construction knowledge during reconstruction. This study aims to assess to what degree safety guidelines have found their way to practice in Nepal. Differences are explored between communities in the Gorkha and Okhaldhunga districts, which received differing levels of technical assistance following the 2015 earthquakes. Seismic resistance of houses was assessed 3 years after the earthquakes. Findings from 955 houses in 25 communities show high degrees of adoption of earthquake-resistant construction knowledge in all selected communities. Variation in safer construction across communities differs only slightly for different intensities of humanitarian technical assistance. This finding points toward the need to more closely examine the communication methods employed and motivations of households to build back safer.
