HISTORIC BUILDING RESEARCH
Preliminary Study
Pan-Himalayan Study on Indigenous Technology of Earthquake
Resistant Construction of Historic Buildings (PAHSIB)
Collaborators
ESW
SEEDS
HISTORIC BUILDING RESEARCH
Preliminary Study
Pan-Himalayan Study on Indigenous Technology of Earthquake
Resistant Construction of Historic Buildings (PAHSIB) is a combined
initiative by SEEDS and NSET to revive the indigenous building techniques
in the pan Himalayan region.
October 2007
Concept and Design- Safer World Communications, SEEDS
Collaborators
A
B
C
D
E
RATIONALE FOR
RESEARCH WORK
The Himalayan region that is so prone to natural disasters do not have an effective approach to
construction practices as a method to mitigate the structural damages due to an earthquake. Lack of
knowledge of safe construction technologies together with neglect of indigenous know-how has
compounded the problem to a great extent. The way the things are progressing it would not be wrong to
say that Himalayan region will be one of the most unsafe places on the planet. Numerous one-off or
separate studies and research work have taken place in the region but there is no comprehensive
document that gives an insight into the traditional building technologies to combat the earthquakes.
The rationale behind developing a comprehensive research document on the indigenous technology of
earthquake resistant construction of historic buildings is to consolidate and map out all the knowledge
and findings into one cohesive dossier.
Such a strategic approach with focus on the traditional technologies will result into:
?
a database of structural features of typical historical buildings
?
understanding of traditional technology and material with special focus on earthquake resistant
technology,
?
a strategy for conservation and revival of the technology in present context
?
study of the communication of technology transfer in earlier time and development of methodology
for transfer of systems in present time
GENESIS
The Himalayas are among the youngest mountain ranges on the planet. According to the modern theory of
plate tectonics, their formation is a result of a continental collision along the convergent boundary between
the Indo-Australian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. The collision began period about 70 million years ago,
when the north-moving Indo-Australian Plate, moving at about 15 cm per year, collided with the Eurasian
Plate. By about 50 million years ago this fast moving Indo-Australian plate had completely closed the Tethys
Ocean, whose existence has been determined by sedimentary rocks settled on the ocean floor and the
volcanoes that fringed its edges. Since these sediments were light, they crumpled into mountain ranges
rather than sinking to the floor giving birth to the mighty Himalayas.
The Indo-Australian plate continues to be driven horizontally below the Tibetan plateau, which forces the
plateau to move upwards. This India Asia convergence is causing the Himalayas rise by about 5 mm per year,
making them geologically active. The movement of the Indian plate into the Asian plate also makes this
region seismically active leading to earthquakes from time to time.
IN THE REGION
Construction practices in the Himalayan region are still on the lines of the traditional methods. Most of
the construction taking place in the region makes use of traditional materials like stone masonry or
burnt bricks. Such buildings are highly vulnerable in the high seismic zones.
With improvement in the economic condition RC framed buildings are also being constructed. Although
these buildings make use of reinforcements little attention is paid to incorporate seismic resistant
features in the building design.
Himalayas being a tourist destination attracts a lot of attention and revenue. To fulfill the burgeoning
demand lots of irregular and haphazard construction in the form of hotels and rest houses are taking
place without any proper selection of site or incorporating earthquake resistant technologies or
adherence to building codes. Even in villages people construct RCC houses without paying attention to
appropriate methodology and schema.
Lack of a proper approach coupled with ignorance of traditional earthquake resistant construction
practices has made the Himalayan region increasing vulnerable.
42%
Stone
26%
Burnt Brick
0%
Plastic &
Polythene
1%
Concrete
1%
GI Metal &
Asbestos Sheets
1%
Grass, Thatch
or Bamboo
2%
Wood
27%
Mud, Unburnt Brick
0%
Other Materials
Chart showing percentage of buildings constructed using different materials based on 2001 census data
ON THE
The Himalayan region falls in the Seismic Zone IV an V of the seismic zonation map of India. It is very
vulnerable to many geological as well as hydro metrological hazards which have been responsible for
major earthquakes in the region.
The plate dynamics has a major role to play in making the region so vulnerable to seismic activity. As a
result of the convergence of the Indian Plate and Eurasian Plate an immense amount of stress is being
developed against the plates. The stress causes the crust to bend. Suddenly when the bond breaks
along the fault plane the crust returns to its original position releasing a huge amount of energy in the
form of earthquakes. This is known as the Elastic Rebound Theory. This theory has been behind most
of the deadly earthquakes in the region, the latest being the 2005 Kashmir earthquake.
KILLER QUAKES
Dharchula Earthquake
Kangra Earthquake
29 July 1980 (6.5)
4 April 1905 (7.8)
Kashmir Earthquake
Uttarkashi Earthquake
20 October 1991 (6.6)
Chamoli Earthquake
Kinnaur Earthquake
18 January 1975 (6.8)
8 October 2005 (7.6)
Bihar-Nepal Earthquake
15 January 1934 (8.3)
Figures in brackets indicate the magnitude on the Richter Scale
29 March 1999 (6.8)
PAN HIMALAYAN
The Pan Himalayan Research Work is conceived with the idea of studying and analyzing the historic
buildings which has survived some of the deadly earthquakes in the past. The study seeks to restore
and revive the technology involved in the construction of these buildings and rectify the mistakes in the
repair of the damaged structures, thereby come out with an appropriate conservation strategy.
Objectives
?
Understand building technology, material, and evolution process diversification in the region.
?
Explore earthquake resistant features in historic building.
?
Develop methodology to preserve/revive, modify, and adapt the earthquake resistant technology in
present context.
?
Develop a conservation strategy for the indigenous earthquake resistant technology.
?
Strategise for mainstreaming the indigenous technology in current construction practices.
?
Disseminate the outcome to larger community through workshops and training of local people.
Data on building typology, building materials and process, technology of construction, building
evolution process is not available at a level when any assessment could be made for buildings in the
Pan-Himalayan region. It is even worse in the case of historical buildings. It has obvious implication on
defining extent and scope of the work. Because of this limitation, it has been envisioned to have the
study in two phases:
I. Preliminary study
II. Detailed study
I. PRELIMINARY STUDY
This study helps to develop a roadmap for detailed study and provides basic data and direction for the
detailed study. It also helps in developing overall methodology and budget for the detailed study. The
study covers the following activities.
Literature survey
In this part material is collected from secondary sources for concept development, understanding of the
building typology, materials, construction and evolution process.
Rapid inventory
The rapid inventory is a very brief survey of historical buildings to help develop a concept on buildings
and understand extent of work. This survey covers building materials, technology, skills, construction
process, age and impact of past earthquake on the building. A questionnaire for rapid inventory is
prepared.
Preliminary classification and concept development
In this the collected building information is processed and analyzed. The buildings are classified based
upon their material and construction technology.
Site visit
The technical team visits different sites to test developed methodology, calibrate the acquired
information from field with prototype in site.
Workshop and meetings
During different stages of this study meetings and workshops is organized to disseminate the
information, develop consensus and finalize methodology.
Literature
Survey
Rapid
Inventory
Preliminary
Classification
Site
Visit
Workshop/
Meeting
II. DETAILED STUDY
Detailed inventory
A detailed survey of the buildings is carried out. The process involves filling checklists, collecting
information on material quality, taking photographs, drawing detailed drawings and collecting historical
records of the building structure.
Building classification and concept development
Data collected is analyzed to classify and group the buildings to facilitate their study according to
employed construction material and technology, construction process etc.
Qualitative analysis
The collected data is further analyzed, strong and weak features of the building structure is identified
for understanding of survivability of the buildings. Based on these information and other details
collected from secondary sources vulnerability of these buildings is assessed.
Quantitative analysis
A set of representative buildings are analyzed to understand their behaviour and reasons behind their
survivability.
Conservation strategy
Once the technology and rationale behind it is understood a conservation strategy is developed to
conserve the technology.
Detailed
Inventory
Building
Classification
Qualitative
Analysis
Quantitative
Analysis
Conservation
Strategy
1
2
3
4
5
The pilot study was conducted in the Kangra Valley
iin the state of Himachal Pradesh in India . Under
the pilot study ten buildings in the Kangra district
were studied and analysed in detail. The buildings
were selected from the list of the historic buildings
protected by ASI (Archeological survey of India).
These selected buildings were an eclectic mix old
temples, forts, churches and residential buildings
which had experienced and survived the deadly
Kangra earthquake of 1905.
CHURCH OF
FORT
FORT
7
KANGRA
INDIA
HOTEL
IN THE WILDERNESS
TEMPLES
6
PILOT STUDY IN
8
9
10
BARA BHANGAL
4
5
NURPUR
1
KOTLA
6
DHARMSHALA
SHAHPUR
10
JHULLAR
7
8
JAWALI
PALAMPUR
2
INDORA
NAGROTA
9
3
SULLAH
PANCH
RUKHI
FATEHPUR
LAMBAGROAN
KHUNDIAN
DERA
JWALAMUKHI
JASWAN KOTLA
PARAGPUR
HOUSE
SHIVA TEMPLE
SCHOOL
SCIENCE BUILDING
HOUSE
HOUSE
MALOTHA
BAIJNATH
POLANG
EARTHQUAKE
SCHOOL SCIENCE BUILDING
Earthquake resistant features
Wall Stitching, Energy-absorbing dhajji dewari panels, Light Gable Wall
The studied buildings had several seismic resistant features inherent in the structure. These features
had helped these buildings survive the various earthquakes that the valley has encountered.
Buttresses at corners, lateral systems, wooden bands, corner reinforcements, through stones, small
openings and buttress-like projections along gable walls were the common earthquake resistant
features found in mostly all the buildings. Apart from these certain novel features were also noticed
and studied in detail.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
HOUSE
Earthquake resistant features
Tire Detail
Continuous Band
Corner Steel Rod
4
1
2
3
5
6
7
TEMPLES
Earthquake resistant features
Buttress-like parts at the base
Large intersecting cornerstones
8
9
10
UNDERSTANDING OF
AND
The central idea of the project ia to revitalize traditional building techniques employed in the construction of
the buildings and develop an appropriate conservation strategy . The construction features in the studied
buildings give an insight into the indigenous practices which went into the making of the buildings which .
These traditional methods can be adopted and adapted into the present scenario to help construct disaster
safe buildings. A closer look at the features also speaks about environmental compatibility and durability of the
structure which has stood the test of time under harsh conditions.(Refer to the annexure for complete buildingwise details).
The structural design, the
geometry and layout of the
supporting members of Baijnath
temple is remarkable.
Especially the thick buttressing
and the highly ordered roofing
design stand out as features
that increase the durability of
the structure as well as the
architectural significance.
The surveyed historic buildings were found to have several damages owing to the intense seismic
shaking during the earthquakes. The degree and diversity of damages differed from building to
building. This damages include collapsed blocks of facade, stones that have slid relative to each other
and numerous shear cracks running along the wall. In certain cases cracks were observed across the
roofs. Although repair of the damaged buildings have been carried out additional repair and
maintenance is required in numerous areas. (Refer to the annexure for complete building-wise details).
The Masrur temple is
exposed to several
natural hazards heavy
rain, sunlight and
earthquakes of large
magnitudes. Most of
the damage in the
structure have been
triggered by vigorous
shaking during the
earthquakes.
Diagrammatic plan of
significant damages
and repairs for the
Masrur temple is
shown alongside.
The pilot project at Kangra was a step towards achieving the ultimate goal of reviving the traditional methodologies
that went into the construction of the historic buildings. These buildings have survived the test of time and
understanding and reviving the lost art will provide us with a window to the safe future. Similar efforts are under way
in India and Nepal to cover the entire length of the Himalayas cutting across various regions and terrains. The project
will go a long way in fulfilling the much required need of coming out with a comprehensive conservation master plan
of construction technology for the pan Himalayan region.