We have learned our lesson the hard way and we now know better than to callously dismiss earthquake threats. As we slowly try and recover from the disaster, it’s important to be cautious about how we restore the nation, starting with our houses in particular. Right now several buildings are being dismantled and soon enough, they will have to be built again.
The Week consulted with an architect and an interior designer and asked them to lend their expertise on how we can earthquake proof our homes and workplaces from the outside as well as the inside.
Finding happiness
Siddhartha Gopalan, architect of Imperial Courts Apartments in Sanepa, has closely supervised the construction of several structures in the past 15 years. He claims that it’s relatively easy to make sure that our buildings are earthquake safe. We just have to be mindful of some basic factors.
Technically sound
"Walking around and observing the destruction, it's obvious that many structures at risk after the earthquakes are the ones that have not followed the building codes and the government rules," says Gopalan. He also cites cases where people didn't even consult with engineers. It's common to find people who had trusted the head of their construction workers to design their buildings. So first and foremost, Gopalan hopes that this trend is going to stop from here on.
"As you will see, there are several tall buildings around the capital that haven't suffered any significant damages. So let's be clear, it's not only the size of the structures but the engineering of the building that matters. Hopefully people have learnt that we can't have laymen drawing the blueprints. Always start with expert opinions and a technically sound design," explains Gopalan.
Soil and Structures
Areas such as Gangabu and Balaju serve as rude awakenings. Even though soil tests are crucial before deciding on the location of any building, of late people had been cutting some corners. "For a decade or so, all people have been looking for is an open space. There were some areas around Kathmandu which were previously deemed unsuitable for constructions because of the poor quality of the soil. However, as more people migrated to the capital, people stopped caring about soil tests. Now as we can see, the carelessness has proven to be costly for many," says Gopalan.
So he strongly recommends we don't skip this step. Different areas have different kinds of soil and there are a variety of tests that can be carried out. The results then should be kept in mind while designing the buildings for that particular area.
Inferior material
Substandard building materials are another big issue. There have been complains of sand and clay particles being mixed with the cement and such. The use of inferior building materials can cause significant problems even when the structure has been properly designed and installed.
"There are laboratories in TU and Pulchowk where we can carry out tests to determine the quality of the building materials. We can't ignore the fact that some people do buy and sell dubious products in attempts to reduce the costs and increase the profit margin. That is a bad move. Superior building materials play an important role in making sure that a structure is earthquake proof," says Gopalan.
New techniques
One of the best ways to reassure that a building is earthquake safe is to make the structure as light as possible. There are several ways to do so. In fact, the engineering techniques are constantly evolving.
"Manipulating designs as well as the materials isn't as complex or costly as it was before. Many experts have come up with some clever ways to make earthquake resistant structures. Professionals here in our country must make an effort to keep themselves up to date with the new methods," says Gopalan.
Rishi Saraf of Innovation admits that most of his clients weren’t ever conscious about making sure that their houses were earthquake safe from the inside. He shares that several materials required to earthquake proof a home or office are not available in our Nepali markets. But then, he expects this situation to change from here on.
“This earthquake experience is bound to make people more wary about the way they plan their interior décor. Countless people have suffered damages in their houses but it could have been avoided if they had been well informed. Hopefully now though the people as well as the market will embrace earthquake proof devices,” says Saraf. The interior designer also shares a few helpful pointers.
The pipelines
Many houses tend to have water and gas pipes made out of galvanized iron. This proved to be very costly during the earthquake. Since they are rigid, there were many reports of raptures. It's best if we use materials which are flexible, for example plastic.
The windows
Shattered glasses were a common problem among many households. For future, people can use tempered glasses for their windows which are more resistant. If tempered glasses prove to be a bit expensive though, one can use safety film on their windows as well. This is a technique widely used abroad. The safety film will help hold the glass together.
Hang it right
It's not wise to have paintings or photo frames above a bed. If there is an earthquake during the night, it can prove to be dangerous. Even if you are hanging frames on the wall, it's best if you use safe picture hooks or at least turn the end of the nail upwards so that it will help secure the picture.
Bolt it in
Bookcases and cabinets need to be bolted to the wall or screwed to the bottom of the floors. This will help avoid a lot of damage. The same needs to be done in the kitchen as well. Washing machines and refrigerators can be bolted to the floor using foot clips which help screw the foot of the appliances to the floor. Since we also witnessed the earthquake shake and spill the contents of drawers and cupboards, child protection latches could prove to be a good idea. These will help secure the doors of cabinets. Similarly, TVs, computers, and music systems can be strapped to their cables.
Handle with Care
Just in case of emergencies, it's always best that we store the fragile showpieces or cutlery as close as possible to the ground. Expensive items such as china dishes can be bubble wrapped so that even when they do rattle there will be minimum damages.
The false ceiling
These had become a popular décor item but after the recent earthquakes they have also proven to be hazardous. There have been reports of some false ceiling dislodging or falling down and causing injuries. So in case you are putting in false ceiling, make sure it's a good quality one and pay extra attention to how it is bolted in.
