2015 gorkha (nepal) earthquake

Effects on Built Environment & A Perspective on Growing Seismic Risk in Bihar-Nepal Region

2015 GORKHA (NEPAL) EARTHQUAKE

Guided by Prof. Dr. Hasan KAPLAN Presented by Mhd. Kinan OTHMAN

2015 Gorkha (Nepal) Earthquake The M7.8 earthquake struck Nepal on 25th April 2015 at 11:41 am IST with its epicenter located in Gorkha district (28.15°N 84.7°E) in the central Nepal, about 80 km NW of the capital Kathmandu.

It was a shallow focus event (depth 15 km), which was felt in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and China. Two major aftershocks of M6.6 and M6.7 were also felt within the next two days of the earthquake.

2015 Gorkha (Nepal) Earthquake







2015 Gorkha (Nepal) Earthquake The team visited several affected cities and towns of Central Nepal and North Bihar such as Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Motihari and Sitamarhi. The maximum observed shaking intensity during this earthquake was IX in MSK scale. About 8020 deaths were reported of which 7913 were from Nepal, 78 from India, 25 in China and 4 from Bangladesh. Also, about 18950 people were reported to be injured.


Geological Hazards

Performance of Unreinforced Masonry (URM) Buildings

 Old unreinforced masonry buildings suffered maximum damage during the earthquake due to their deteriorated strength over the years and the absence of concrete members aggravated the level of damage.

However, the adjacent RC buildings suffered only minor damage.



 The old masonry buildings suffered partial to complete collapse due to the inadequate lateral strength of the masonry walls and the poor connection between the wall and diaphragm.



 In most of the URM buildings, the structure lost integrity after formation of cracks at the corners of the wall making it highly vulnerable to out-of-plane collapse


Performance of Unreinforced Masonry (URM) Buildings in India

 Some areas of North Bihar experienced a shaking intensity of VI and below. 3 poorly built kaccha houses were completely collapsed and 142 buildings were partially damaged.



Nepalese residents carry belongings from their destroyed homes as they walk through debris of Saturday’s earthquake, in Bhaktapur on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal, on Monday, April 27,







Performance of Reinforced Concrete (RC) Buildings  Collapse of buildings highlighted the structural deficiencies in the RC buildings of the affected region.

This includes poor reinforcement detailing, faulty construction practices, poor quality of construction materials and so on.

Performance of Reinforced Concrete (RC) Buildings


Performance of Reinforced Concrete (RC) Buildings  Some RC buildings the ground storey is left open without infill walls for utility purposes such as parking.

This practice makes the ground storey weak with respect to the upper storeys leading to a mechanism known as the weak storey collapse.


Performance of Reinforced Concrete (RC) Buildings  A number of buildings collapsed during the earthquake due to faulty construction practices such as absence of adequate walls led to formation of weak storey mechanism.



Performance of Reinforced Concrete (RC) Buildings  The RC buildings that were partially destructed had inadequate reinforcement and masonry walls were projecting beyond the columns.



Performance of Tall RC Buildings

 Infill walls were severely damaged in tall RC buildings.

Poor construction practices in RC Buildings

Poor construction practices in RC Buildings  Due to the extension of masonry wall beyond column line, the columns supporting the projection will be overstressed and the outer wall will also susceptible to damage due to lesser stiffness.

Poor construction practices in RC Buildings

Free Standing Structures

Heritage Structures

 Most of the temples were built in pagoda style, having timber frames and brick masonry walls. The walls were of random rubble masonry core and dressed with brick masonry.

The roofs were supported by timber struts and the connection between the wall and the frame was made using timber hooks.

Heritage Structures

Performance of Heritage Structures





Summary of Earthquake Effects ● The M7.8 event lead to a widespread devastation with significant number of fatalities and huge loss to property. ● Significant damage was observed in the 50~60 year old unreinforced masonry buildings because of inadequate lateral strength. ● Well constructed reinforced concrete (RC) buildings performed in a relatively better way with minor damages. However, dramatic collapse of some RC structures can be attributed to open ground storey, poor geometric configuration of buildings, poor reinforcement detailing in structural members, etc.

Summary of Earthquake Effects… ● The damage to the RC buildings was aggravated due to the construction of buildings on filled-up lands, use of half-brick thick infill walls and extension of walls beyond column line. ● The cultural heritage structures, being old and weak were unable to resist the seismic forces and were damaged seriously. ● Landslides were observed, and vertical movement of soil lead to damage of roads and pedestrian bridges at some places. observed

Closing Remarks  The damage to built environment, economic loss and human casualties caused by Himalayan earthquakes are increasing rather proportionally with the growth of settlement and population.  Despite the available knowledge base, the communities in high seismic regions such as Nepal and neighbouring Indian states are not adequately prepared due to lack of implementation of earthquake-resistant building technology. However, with adherence to seismic codes and recommended construction practices, it is possible to mitigate such large-scale disasters.  NICEE @ IITK has several resources available at its website www.nicee.org for seismic risk mitigation of built-environment.

PowerPoint Show by Andrew

Nepal is started fleeing their devastated capital of Kathmandu on April 27 after Saturday's earthquake killed more than 3,700 people and toppled entire city blocks. The United Nations has launched a massive aid operation, but severed communications and landslides in the Himalayan nation pose formidable challenges. Residents of Kathmandu are in need of almost everything - shelter, fuel, food, medicine, power, news, workers, and more. People are searching for lost loved ones, sorting through rubble for their belongings, and struggling to meet their families' needs. The earthquake was the worst to hit the South Asian nation in over 80 years, strong enough to be felt across parts of India, Bangladesh, Tibet, and Pakistan.

A Nepalese man cries as he walks through the earthquake debris in Bhaktapur, near Kathmandu, Nepal, on April 26, 2015.

An aerial view of hillside residential buildings damaged by Saturday’s earthquake at Trishuli Bazar in Nepal, on April 27.

The shadow of an Indian Air Force aircraft carrying relief material is cast on an area where tents are setup by residents in Kathmandu on April 27.

Rescue workers remove debris as they search for victims of earthquake in Bhaktapur near Kathmandu, on April 26.

Nepalese residents walk past road damage following an earthquake in Kathmandu on April 26.

People gather on an open space for security reasons at the Basantapur Durbar Square, damaged in Saturday’s earthquake in Kathmandu,on April 26.

Nepalese police personnel and volunteers clear the rubble while looking for survivors at the compound of a collapsed temple in Kathmandu on April 27.

Nepalese rescue personnel help a trapped earthquake survivor, as his friend lies dead next to him in Swyambhu, in Kathmandu on April 26.

Residents line up for food in an evacuation area set up by the authorities in Tundhikel park on April 27, 2015 in Kathmandu.

Residents line up for food in an evacuation area set up by the authorities in Tundhikel park on April 27, 2015.

Nepalese army personnel and a sniffer dog search for victims amid the rubble after Saturday's earthquake in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on April 27.

Victims of Saturday's earthquake lie inside helicopter as they are evacuated from Trishuli Bazar to the airport in Kathmandu on April 27.

Quake-damaged buildings in Kathmandu, Nepal, on April 27.

A man carries an injured child, after Indian Army soldiers evacuated them from Trishuli Bazar to the airport in Kathmandu on April 27.

People look at the debris of an ancient temple after it was damaged in Saturday’s earthquake, in Kathmandu, on April 26.

A cloud of snow and debris triggered by an earthquake flies towards Everest Base Camp, moments ahead of flattening part of the camp in the Himalayas.

A rescue chopper prepares to land, carrying people from higher camps to Everest Base Camp, Nepal, Monday, April 27, 2015.

Rescue team personnel carry an injured person towards a waiting rescue helicopter at Everest Base Camp on April 26.

A rescue team member sits on top of the debris of a collapsed temple at Basantapur Durbar Square on April 27.

Nepalese rescue personnel observe damaged buildings following the earthquake in Kathmandu on April 26, 2015.

The body of a victim lays underneath debris from one of the collapsed buildings on April 26, 2015 in Bhaktapur, Nepal.

A man pedals a Nepalese cycle rickshaw past damaged buildings at the Basantapur Durbar Square in Kathmandu.

A Nepalese man performs rituals during the cremation of his mother who died in the earthquake in Bhaktapur, near Kathmandu, on April 26.

Victims of Saturday's earthquake are cremated along a river in Kathmandu on April 27, 2015.

People burn the bodies of earthquake victims at a mass cremation at Pashupatinath in Kathmandu on April 26, 2015.

A woman mourns her granddaughter, who died in Saturday's earthquake.

Residents look at collapsed houses in Bhaktapur, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, on April 27.

People sleep as they wait outside the departure terminal at the airport in Kathmandu.

A woman receives medical treatment at Dhading hospital, in the aftermath of Saturday's earthquake, in Dhading Besi, Nepal.

Nepalese people make themselves warm while they stay on open ground in fear of further aftershocks in Kathmandu, Nepal, on April 27, 2015.

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