Economics of seismic safety for earthquake-prone Himalayan province of Uttarakhand in India
International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment
ISSN: 1759-5908
Article publication date: 28 October 2019
Issue publication date: 30 October 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to estimate the cost of seismic resilience of identified vulnerable lifeline public buildings in earthquake-prone Himalayan province of Uttarakhand in India.
Design/methodology/approach
Built area of the identified vulnerable lifeline buildings together with prevalent rate of construction has been considered for assessing the cost of seismic resilience while improvised rapid visual screening (RVS) technique, better suited to the built environment in the region, has been used for assessing seismic vulnerability.
Findings
Investment of US$250.08m is assessed as being required for ensuring seismic safety of 56.3, 62.1, 52.9, 64.6, 71.9 and 61.7% surveyed buildings, respectively, of fire and emergency services, police, health, education, local administration and other departments that are to become non-functional after an earthquake and result in a major socio-political turmoil. A total amount of US$467.71m is estimated as being required for making all the buildings of these departments seismically resilient.
Research limitations/implications
Actual investment estimates and reconstruction/retrofitting plans have to be prepared after detailed investigations as RVS technique only provides a preliminary estimate and helps in prioritising buildings for detailed investigations.
Practical implications
This study is intended to provide a snapshot of the state of seismic vulnerability together with the financial resources required for corrective measures. This is to help the authorities in planning phased mobilisation of financial and technical resources for making the built environment seismically resilient.
Social implications
This study is to bring forth awareness on this important issue and consequent public opinion in favour of safety of public facilities to ensure allocation of appropriate financial resources together with changes in techno-legal regime for the cause of earthquake safety. At the same time, this study is to motivate masses to voluntarily assess safety of their neighbourhood and undertake corrective measures.
Originality/value
This study is based on primary data collected by the authors.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Funding support from the World Bank assisted Uttarakhand Disaster Recovery Project (UDRP) is acknowledged. All the engineers engaged in data collection are thanked while support, encouragement and cooperation of colleagues at Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre, particularly Shri Rahul Jugran and Shri Bhupendra Bhaisora and UDRP together with Secretary, Disaster Management Shri Amit Singh Negi and Secretary Incharge, Disaster Management Shri S.A. Murugeshan is acknowledged. Anonymous reviewers are thanked for painstaking and detailed review more than once and suggesting ways of improving the quality and content of the paper so as to be of interest to wider readership.
Citation
Rautela, P., Joshi, G.C. and Ghildiyal, S. (2019), "Economics of seismic safety for earthquake-prone Himalayan province of Uttarakhand in India", International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, Vol. 10 No. 5, pp. 317-342. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJDRBE-02-2019-0007
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited