Dissemination of Earthquake Resistant Technologies for Non-Engineered Construction

Abstract eng:
It is observed in the past that high rate of casualty in earthquakes is due to prevailing practice of unsafe construction. Despite the efforts of reducing risks, loss of life is increasing in earthquakes in developing countries. Most of the victims are being killed by collapse of their own houses. It shows that the current state of technologies either has not reached to the communities those need them the most or it is lacking in addressing the problems appropriately. In these countries, local governments have poor institutional and technical capacity for implementing earthquake safety related provisions of building codes. Under such circumstances, promoting earthquake safe construction could not be achieved only through efforts on controlling by codes and regulations but also through an approach where house-owners are convinced on earthquake safety issues and are provided with easy and affordable technologies. Case studies of developing countries in Asia-Pacific region show that integrating seismic safety in housing construction requires a strategy that incorporates technological awareness of common people, consultation on housing technology by local governments to home owners and trainings and education programs at community level. The paper discusses about some initiatives on housing safety in communities of Asia-pacific countries. Lessons from implementation led to devise comprehensive approach of housing safety of non-engineered construction. It is concluded that a sustainable earthquake safe housing could be achieved by integrating result of the technology demonstration, capacity building and actions to motivate people safety practices.

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