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The purpose of this paper is to investigate increase in the cost of reinforced concrete buildings in Kathmandu valley constructed using earthquake safer features in comparison with that of buildings constructed using conventional approach without earthquake safety features.

Five buildings constructed using earthquake safer features and five buildings constructed without using these features are selected. A cost comparison of both types of buildings is done, and the total cost is also compared for structural, nonstructural and service components in the buildings.

The cost analysis of buildings constructed in Kathmandu valley shows that there is 10 per cent increase in cost for earthquake safer construction in comparison to construction using conventional approach. This increase in cost can be a deterrent factor for house owners to switch to safer construction practices which ultimately leads to lack of compliance from house owners. A successful implementation of building code in a country like Nepal, where most of the buildings are constructed from informal sector, requires compliance of the code from all stakeholders. Awareness raising can be a deciding factor for success in building code enforcement.

The study is done for only two types of constructions prevalent in Kathmandu: one using simplified codal method and another using conventional method. Only five samples of each types are taken into consideration. The building sample, however, is typical and representative of the two types of the construction practice.

The information from this study will be useful for making policy decisions for enforcement of building codes and also for assessment of economic loss in future earthquakes.

This research output will help to redesign building code enforcement projects in Nepal and other countries in the region with similar issues.

The building samples, analysis and output are original contribution of authors, and it contributes to fulfill the gap for such study.

The purpose of this paper is to apply social theory to the creation of a mass-media communications intervention designed to encourage earthquake-resistant construction in Nepal.

A three-step process was employed in this study: first, a narrative literature review was completed regarding the motivation of protective action. Second, key informant elicitation interviews with 15 community members at five public schools who supported making their buildings earthquake-resistant informed the script for a documentary film. Finally, the film was reviewed with stakeholders, plus 16 community members associated with a school in need of seismic work. Sociograms were used to determine relative closeness of the study participants to the film role models.

Motivating factors identified in the literature synthesis were included in the film, which focussed on effective actions taken by role models, and avoided the use of fear-based appeals. Key informant interviews yielded role-modeling details for the film script, including triggers and obstacles faced by the community members, and outcomes of their actions. Sociogram outcomes guided film editing and increased relative screen time for those community members with whom the study participants felt greater closeness. A pretest-posttest cluster randomized trial (details reported elsewhere) showed greater gains in knowledge, perceived outcome effectiveness, and intended behaviors among intervention film viewers than control participants.

This three-step process yielded the information required by a practitioner to develop a theory-based, culturally appropriate mass-media intervention designed to motivate reduction of disaster risk.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential for reducing earthquake risk to non‐engineered buildings. “Non‐engineered” buildings are, in simple terms, arbitrarily designed and inadequately built structures. Such buildings are indigenous and widespread within Indonesia, and are particularly susceptible to damage and destruction from earthquake events. A range of technical and social elements are significant to reducing earthquake risk to this building type and need to be appreciated within the context of current regulatory, design, and construction practices in Indonesia. A greater awareness for, and better understanding of, both the technical and human elements which impact on the planning, design, and construction of non‐engineered buildings will enable more effective earthquake risk reduction measures to be implemented within building practices throughout Indonesia.

Research used a triangulated approach collating qualitative and quantitative data acquired by multiple collection methods of a questionnaire survey, structured and semi‐structured interviews, case studies, and professional practice and local‐community workshops. Quantitative data were collated and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences to provide inferential ranking and correlation of responses. Qualitative data were processed using NVivo software to code prominent patterns in the views and opinions of the respondents.

The findings highlight the following: the reasons why earthquake‐related building codes are not applied more readily to non‐engineered buildings; elements of practice where problems occur and where change could improve the use of building codes in their application to non‐engineered buildings; actions for change to improve planning regulation, design, and construction of non‐engineered buildings; and practical and effective methods of disseminating the research to industry, academic, and community stakeholders.

The application of the research findings is unquestionably significant and valuable to Indonesia as any measures which can reduce earthquake risk have: the potential to improve the quality and sustainability of buildings; the ability to enhance the protection of property; and the real capability to save lives. Moreover, knowledge and capabilities developed there are highly relevant to earthquake‐vulnerable zones within the wider Asia‐Pacific region.

Until the Loma Prieta earthquake of 17 October 1989, also known as the “World Series earthquake” or the “San Francisco earthquake,” many of us may have considered earthquakes a remote danger. But instantaneous television transmission from the interrupted World Series game and frightening images of the collapsed Cypress Viaduct and the burning Marina district transformed this incident from a distant disaster into a phenomenon that touched us all. The Loma Prieta earthquake was followed in December 1990 by the inaccurate but widely publicized New Madrid earthquake prediction. Despite its inaccuracy, this prediction alerted the public to the fact that the largest earthquake ever to have occurred in the United States occurred not in California or Alaska, but in Missouri, and that a large earthquake could occur there again. Americans are discovering that few places are immune to the possibility of an earthquake.

Rural building practices, especially in developing communities, are often plagued by inadequate local construction knowledge and a limited understanding of the best building practice guidelines. This has contributed significantly to compounding the effect of significant catastrophic events. The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential impact of disaster knowledge management (DKM) on improving housing resilience and makes particular reference to the 2005 earthquake in rural Pakistan.

Our research uses a comprehensive literature review that involves a qualitative approach to research aimed at understanding the 2005 earthquakes, their impacts, reconstruction challenges and DKM. Conventional published journals, articles, previous case studies and books were included. But importantly, to take in relevant local information, the review also took in published government reports, disaster mitigation policy documents, national and international NGOs publications, conference proceedings and news articles. More than 80 research papers and conference proceedings over 21 years, from 2001 to 2021, were analyzed in eight major online databases. These include Google Scholar, Science Direct, Research Gate, Scopus, Jstor, Springer, Emerald and Semantic Scholar.

The investigation identified that DKM has an important role to play in capacity building and technical knowledge transmission relating to seismic guidelines aimed at improving housing resilience. Consequently, a theoretical framework was developed, focused primarily on the post-2005 rural reconstruction mechanism and the identification of key challenges to disseminating seismic guidelines effectively in relation to rural construction practices.

This paper makes an original contribution by developing a DKM framework via the identification of key challenges that need to be addressed, in relation to rural construction practices, generally, but particularly in the Pakistan context.

Seeks to examine risk assessment of human settlements due to seismo‐tectonic setting of a populated area in the Himalayas, so that mitigation measures may be taken before the next earthquake takes its toll.

Keeping in view the seismic vulnerability of the Himalayan ranges, an earthquake scenario is considered for the Narendranagar block of Tehri Garhwal District which lies in Seismic Zone IV of the seismic zoning map of India (BIS, 1893‐2002). Damage of MSK Intensity VIII and peak accelerations of 0.25 g are expected here at any time. The hypothetical epicenter is placed near Tapowan at 30°08′10″N and 78° 20′30″E on the crest of the meandering River Ganga, where three large thrusts, viz. Garhwal, Tons Nayar and Krol, congregate. Iso‐acceleration contours plotted for the entire Narendranagar block for earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 and 7.5 are elongated along the main boundary fault.

Almost 59 percent population of the Narendranagar block was found to be vulnerable to damage associated with higher accelerations of 0.41 g.

The topographic effects influencing the risk of settlements have not been taken into account.

Implications of such an earthquake on housing stock; roads; infrastructure; awareness and time of occurrence are discussed. Strategies are suggested for long‐term earthquake preparedness and short‐term action plan for emergency management.

The methodology evolved can be extended for other Himalayan regions.

This paper aims to improve the seismic building design (SBD) work process for Malaysian Government projects.

Semi-structured interviews were virtually conducted to a small sample size of internal and external stakeholders from the Malaysian Government technical agency. There were seven of them, comprising Structural Engineers, an Architect, a Quantity Surveyor and consultants-linked government projects. The respondents have at least five years of experience in building design and construction.

The paper evaluates the current SBD work process in the government technical agency. There were four main elements that appear to need to be improved, specifically in the design stage: limitations in visualization, variation of works, data management and coordination.

This study was limited to Malaysian Government building projects and covered a small sample size. Therefore, further research is recommended to extend to other government agencies or ministries to obtain better results. Furthermore, the findings and proposal for improvements to the SBD work process can also be replicated for other similar disasters resilience projects.

The findings and proposal for improvements to the SBD work process can also be replicated for other similar disasters resilience projects.

This study was limited to government building projects and covered a small sample size. Therefore, further research is recommended to extend to other government agencies or ministries to obtain better results. Furthermore, the findings and proposal for improvements to the SBD work process can also be replicated for other similar disasters resilience projects.

This study provides an initial step to introduce the potential of building information modeling for SBD in implementing Malaysian Government projects. It will be beneficial both pre-and post-disaster and is a significant step toward a resilient infrastructure and community.

Despite being located in earthquake sensitive region and often experiencing seismic tremors the State of Uttarakhand in the Indian Himalayas exhibits an elaborate tradition of constructing multistoreyed houses. Both the local dialects of the State (Kumaoni and Garhwali) have unique words for identifying four different floors of a building. This is suggestive of a common occurrence of multistoreyed structures in the region. This paper attempts to establish that the people inhabiting this rugged earthquake prone terrain have evolved the art of constructing earthquake safe structures well before the evolution of the structural engineering principles governing such a construction.

Detailed investigations were undertaken in the area to establish the antiquity of the traditional structures, as were also earthquake safety provisions incorporated traditionally in these. Radiocarbon dating of the wood used in the structures was used to establish the time of the construction of these structures.

Investigations suggest that the region has evolved a distinct, elaborate and magnificent earthquake‐safe construction style. This construction style, designated Koti Banal architecture, attained its zenith around 880 years ago. This architectural style exhibits the existence of elaborate procedures for site selection, preparing the platform for raising the multistoreyed structure, also for the detail of the entire structure that was constructed on principles somewhat akin to that of framed structures of modern times.

The representative structures of this architecture are observed to be deteriorating fast due to lack of patronage, resources and awareness. This article brings forth awareness regarding the heritage value of these structures, enabling organized efforts for the conservation and upkeep of these structures.

This article is the result of original research undertaken by the authors and paves the way for the conservation of the age old traditional structures.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of vernacular architecture and traditional knowledge to building resilience in Nepal and the impact of modernisation on that resilience and architectural diversity.

Using an action research approach, including field observations and discussions with local community members, artisans, architects, engineers and other international experts, the study examines the resilience of traditional building typologies to natural hazards in Nepal, including earthquake; the changes that have occurred over time leading to the failure and/or rejection of traditional construction; and a review of post-earthquake reconstruction options, both traditional and modern.

Although traditional approaches have been cyclically tested over time, this study found that changes in building materials, technologies, knowledge and skills, access to resources, maintenance practices, urban environments and societal aspirations have all contributed to the popular rejection of vernacular architecture following the earthquakes.

The research is limited to traditional timber and masonry construction in the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding mountain areas.

To improve resilience the study identifies the need for capacity building in both traditional and modern construction technologies; adoption of approaches that use local materials, knowledge and skills, whilst addressing local timber shortages and access issues; a transparent construction certification system; good drainage; and regular maintenance.

The study critically evaluates the impact of technological, environmental, social and economic changes over time on the resilience of vernacular housing in Nepal.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the local wisdom‐based recovery model that has been applied in the Bantul district, Yogyakarta, Indonesia following the 2006 earthquake. This recovery model might appropriately be implemented in any type of local government in developing countries which have strong local culture characteristics.

This research is an exploratory case study which concentrates on the Bantul district. Data were gathered in two categories: primary data and secondary data. Primary data were collected through in‐depth interviews. Secondary data were collected from related document such as articles, books, web sites or government and NGO reports.

Bantul is a small district in the province of Yogyakarta Special region, Indonesia, and is known to be a highly urbanized area, poverty‐stricken and lacking in funds, and with a limited capability to manage a disaster. However, the two years of recovery has resulted in “reimaging” this district as a well‐planned area with a correctly targeted development strategy. The results of the recovery phase were satisfactory. The recovery efforts paid due respect to the high quality of existing local cultures and popular wisdom. Principally, it is the people themselves who should decide how to rebuild their houses. Local government has only provided assistance for earthquake‐resistant houses and has supported basic housing needs.

This paper presents lessons learnt from local government in a developing country in dealing with a recovery process based on local community wisdom.