Strong Ground Motion data from Nepal’s mainshock and two larger aftershocks
The Center for Engineering Strong Motion Data (CESMD) has made available strong motion records from the station NQ.KATNP (www.strongmotioncenter.org). The following links lead to strong ground motion data from Nepal’s mainshock and two larger aftershocks. (1) Magnitude 7.8 Gorkha earthquake (mainshock) on April 25th, 2015 (2) Magnitude 7.3 Aftershock on May 12th, 2015 at 07:05 (approximately 75 […]
Earth Dam Performance
Findings Concerning Earth Dam and Hydroelectric Power Plant Performance after the Gorkha Earthquake Kulekhani Earth Dam (Approx. Lat: 27.590, Long: 85.156)Date of Observation: 5/10/15This article has been brought to the attention of EERI by Lisa Krain The following article describes observations of the Kulekhani Earth Dam on May 10. It is reported that many cracks have been found […]
Landslides: Kali Gandaki River
Links to articles concerning the landslide along the Kali Gandaki River, which has blocked flow and damed the river. From Times of India: May 24, 2015: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Nepal-landslide-blocks-river-raises-fears-of-flood-reaching-India/articleshow/47403459.cms? May 24, 2015: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/5-Bihar-districts-on-alert-after-Nepal-landslide/articleshow/47408541.cms May 25, 2015: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Flood-alert-in-Bihar-after-Nepal-landslide/articleshow/47409473.cms The BBC: 24-May-2015: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32859353 Curated topics from the April 25, 2015, Nepal Earthquake to help inform reconnaissance activities, identify impacted regions, and help […]
Assessment of Site Effects: Kathmandu Valley
Compilation of site effects observations in Kathmandu valley and adjacent regions (Pre-Gorkha Earthquake) A study of local amplification effect of soil layers on ground motion in the Kathmandu Valley using microtremor analysis_Paudyal et al. (2012) Site response of the Ganges basin inferred from re-evaluated macroseismic observations from 1897 Shillong, 1905 Kangra and 1934 Nepal Eqs_Hough […]
Evidence of Liquefaction: Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu valley which consists of three districts, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur, was once a big lake with about 500 m thickness of soft clay. There have been numerous studies on Liquefaction susceptibility of Kathmandu valley (Piya 2004). However, the liquefaction triggered by the M7.8 Gorkha earthquake appears to be limited and localized. The localized areas along the […]
UPDATE: Landslides (General Observations)
Updated Map of Landslides Triggered by Ghorka Earthquake and Aftershocks An updated landslide intensity map (including landslides caused by both the 25 April Ghorka Earthquake and the 12 May Dolakha Earthquake) has been posted to the Earthquakes without Frontiers blog. Approximately 5600 landslides have been mapped as of 10 June 2015. Figure 1. Updated landslide intensity […]
OSU Researchers Study Liquefaction in Nepal
Dr. Ben Mason and Dr. Deepak Rayamahji, geotechnical earthquake engineering researchers from Oregon State University, recently returned from a trip in Nepal, where they studied the liquefaction effects triggered by the M7.8 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks. Their work included documenting collapsed and tilting buildings damaged by liquefaction, and performing in-situ site investigations in an effort to understand the […]
Nepal National Building Code (NBC): An Overview
Nepal national building code (NBC) was first drafted in 1994 following the lessons learned from the 1988 M6.8 earthquake which killed more than 700 people in Nepal. The NBC was approved by the government in 2003 and is a legally binding document in all 130 municipalities. Note however, that no such regulation is applied […]
Seismic Hazard and Common Building Types
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Nepal Building Code: Related Documents
Several Indian codes and standards are incorporated in the undergraduate curriculum in Nepal and are also widely used for the construction of modern buildings. The following is a list of main Indian codes relevant to Nepal’s construction practices: 1. IS456 for concrete structures 2. IS800 for steel structures 3. IS1905 for unreinforced masonry 4. IS4326 for seismic design […]