An effective Earthquake Resistant
Construction System, with Reinforced Hollow Concrete Block Masonry
A Technical Tribute dedicated to the victims of
Gujrath earthquake
And
An ideal technical solution for rehabilitation of
the surviving people,
Who suddenly lost their loved ones and important
things in their life
Introduction:
Earthquakes may cause devastating destruction to the infrastructure, but they may not
kill the people directly. What kills the people during earthquake is the collapse of
building structures in which they are living!
Our traditional construction practices of unreinforced load bearing brick masonry and
poorly detailed RCC framed building structures are the root causes for the death toll of
thousands and lakhs of people during earthquakes in our country.
Though it is not feasible and economical to construct earthquake-proof
buildings, it is possible to design and construct cost effective and structurally
efficient earthquake-resistant buildings of shear wall structural system.
After the post-earthquake surveys for over three decades, American earthquake experts
have reported that, "not a single concrete building containing shear walls has
collapsed and no lives were lost in the shear wall buildings, during a dozen moderate to
severe earthquakes through out the world starting with the Skopje earthquake of
1963 through the Armenian earthquake of 1988".
Though RCC shear walls are ideal from structural considerations, they are prohibitive
from economical considerations. In this context, the structures with shear walls built of
Reinforced Hollow Concrete Block Masonry (RHCBM), by taking advantage of hollow spaces and
shapes of the blocks, are favourable both from structural and economical considerations.
Research & Development:
Through an indegenious Research & Development project, it has been
proved that the RHCBM is not only cost effective, but also is a structurally efficient
earthquake resistant construction system, with the following technical studies:
- The analysis and design methodology for earthquake resistant RHCBM building structural
system is developed.
- The cost economics of RHCBM structural system are worked out in comparison with the
conventional load bearing brick masonry and RCC framed structural systems. It is proved
that the RHCBM is not a costlier system.
- The experimental programme, it has been proved that the RHCBM is more ductile and
possess higher lateral load carrying capacity when compared to conventional brick masonry.
RHCBM for Post-Disaster Rehabilitation:
The RHCBM shear wall building system is ideally suitable for
post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction, because:
- It is one of the most effective earthquake resistant structural systems, as it is proved
both in the laboratory and in the field of three to four decades of post-earthquake
surveys.
- It is not a costlier construction system.
- It is comparatively faster construction system
- It neither needs advanced construction machinery nor highly skilled labour
- It has got built in functional advantages of better acoustic & thermal insulation,
when compared to the conventional construction systems.
Road Map for Technology Transfer
In the wake of recent devastating destruction during Gujarath
earthquake, the proven RHCBM shear wall structural system is to be intensively promoted
by:
- Organising awareness workshops in various parts of the country about this construction
technique
- Running training programmes for analysis and design of RHCBM building structures, as
earthquake resistant construction system.
- Intensively adopting this structural system for reconstruction of earthquake prone
regions of the country.
Concrete shelter for rural poor @ Rs.20,000/- (U.S.$400 only) - First invention of SPERC dedicated to rural poor
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