Experimental, numerical and field study investigating a heritage structure collapse after the 2015 Gorkha earthquake

Ashutosh Kumar (), Paul N. Hughes (), Vasilis Sarhosis (), David Toll (), Sean Wilkinson (), Robin Coningham (), Kosh Prasad Acharya (), Kai Weise (), Annie Joshi (), Christopher Davis (), Ram Bahadur Kunwar () and Prem Nath Maskey ()
Additional contact information
Ashutosh Kumar: Durham University
Paul N. Hughes: Durham University
Vasilis Sarhosis: University of Leeds
David Toll: Durham University
Sean Wilkinson: Newcastle University
Robin Coningham: Durham University
Kosh Prasad Acharya: ICOMOS
Kai Weise: Durham University
Annie Joshi: ICOMOS
Christopher Davis: Durham University
Ram Bahadur Kunwar: Department of Archaeology
Prem Nath Maskey: Tribhuvan University

Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, 2020, vol. 101, issue 1, No 11, 253 pages

Abstract: Abstract This paper presents an investigation of the collapse of a 325-year-old multi-tiered heritage temple during the 2015 Gorkha earthquake in Kathmandu, Nepal. The research comprises a reconnaissance survey followed by a geotechnical investigation and numerical back-analysis carried out to understand the potential causes of the collapse. The assessment of the structural configuration of the temple indicated seismic vulnerability in the design due to the presence of discontinuous columns over the height of the temple and age-weakened bonding in the masonry walls. The geotechnical investigation revealed the presence of competent soil strata at the location, assisting the survey which indicated no differential or excessive settlement in the foundation. A series of cyclic triaxial tests were conducted on samples recovered during the geotechnical investigation to determine dynamic behaviour of the soil. Further, dynamic analysis of the plinth of the temple under the recorded acceleration–time history indicated a maximum drift percentage of 1.4% and residual relative displacement of 32 mm suggesting the potential reason behind the collapse. The output of this research will support seismic rehabilitation of ancient structures within World Heritage sites across Nepal and effective action plans to safeguard them against future earthquake hazard.

Keywords: Nepal earthquake; Heritage structures; Numerical modelling; Soil investigation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11069-020-03871-7 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:101:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1007_s11069-020-03871-7

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/11069

DOI: 10.1007/s11069-020-03871-7

Access Statistics for this article

Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards is currently edited by Thomas Glade, Tad S. Murty and Vladimír Schenk

More articles in Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards from Springer, International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().