Nepal - Stone Masonry Houses Seismic Construction Guidelines

On April 25th, 2015, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal. 8,000 people died and over 21,000 people were injured. Thousands of Nepalese families were left homeless with entire villages flattened by the earthquake. Much work is still required in the rebuilding of the damaged villages. The Nepalese Government has also committed $2,000 USD to each affected family in the housing reconstruction efforts.

BWB Involvement

BWB was part of a six person team that went to Nepal led by Bishnu Pandey and Svetlana Brzev (pictured). The team inspected damaged and destroyed stone masonry houses in rural areas effected by the earthquake. This led to the production of Illustrated Guidelines for Construction of Stone Masonry Houses in Seismic Regions of Nepal.

These Guidelines cover the essentials of earthquake-resistant stone masonry house construction – the use of good quality materials on level and firm ground using stones, seismic bands, vertical and horizontal reinforcement and proper connections of the walls to the floor and roof.

The Result

With the successful translation and distribution of the Guidelines, Nepalese village communities will be better equipped with enhanced stone masonry knowledge and skills. Homes and community buildings in the earthquake-affected area will be rebuilt with increased resistance to anticipated earthquake forces. In addition, building modifications will not significantly differ from traditional building practices or materials used.