Kathmandu University
Dhulikhel, Kavre
Presentation on – SEISMIC EVALUATION AND RETROFITTING
OF LOW-RISE RCC BUILDING
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Presented by Presented to
Tulsi Ram Khanal Department of Civil Engineering
M.E. Structural Engineering Kathmandu University
Slide Outline
Introduction
Problem Statement
Objectives
Literature Review
Methodology
2 Limitations
References
INTRODUCTION
3 Reinforced Concrete (RCC) buildings have become the
predominant construction type in both urban and rural areas
of Nepal in past two decades.
The devastating 2015 Gorkha earthquake (Mw 7.8)
exposed critical vulnerabilities in these structures,
particularly in low-rise RCC buildings, resulting in
widespread damage, collapse, and tragic loss of life.
As Nepal lies in one of the world's most seismically active
zones - situated at the collision boundary between the Indian
and Eurasian tectonic plates - the seismic safety of its built
environment remains a pressing concern.
Many existing low-rise RCC structures in Nepal,
particularly those constructed prior to modern seismic
codes, exhibit severe structural deficiencies that
compromise their earthquake resistance.
These include weak column-beam joints, inadequate
reinforcement detailing, poor construction quality, and lack
of ductile design elements. Such vulnerabilities manifest in
visible damage patterns including diagonal shear cracks in
columns, flexural cracks in beams, and spalling of concrete
4 Seismic evaluation involves a comprehensive assessment of a
structure's capacity to withstand earthquake forces. This process
typically includes visual inspection of structural elements, non-
destructive testing of materials, and analytical modeling to determine
the building's performance under seismic loads.
Retrofitting refers to the process of strengthening existing structures to
improve their seismic performance. Various techniques are employed,
including:
Structural jacketing of columns and beams
Addition of shear walls or bracing systems
Base isolation methods
Use of advanced materials like fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP)
Problem Statement
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In Nepal, numerous older low-rise reinforced concrete (RCC) buildings
constructed without seismic considerations now exhibit visible signs of
structural distress, including:
Extensive cracking in beams, columns, slabs, and critical joints
Spalling/scaling of concrete (exposing corroded reinforcement)
Significant structural degradation at beam-column connections
Lack of ductile detailing leading to brittle failure mechanisms
Despite these clear indicators of vulnerability:
No comprehensive seismic assessments have been conducted on these aging
structures
Their actual load-bearing capacity and seismic performance remain
unknown
No retrofitting measures have been implemented, leaving them
dangerously vulnerable to future earthquakes
Objective
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The objective of this project is:
To systematically evaluate the structural integrity of vulnerable low-rise RCC
buildings and their seismic resistance through analytical methods using
relevant Is codes 1893:2016 and 15988:2016.
To develop suitable retrofitting strategies for observed damage patterns,
ensuring improved earthquake resilience.
Literature Review
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This review synthesizes key findings from critical documents relevant to
seismic evaluation and retrofitting of low-rise RCC buildings in Nepal:
Lakshmanan (2006) highlights critical deficiencies in existing RCC
buildings, such as weak beam-column joints, inadequate ductility, and
brittle failure modes. The study emphasizes pushover analysis as a key
tool for evaluating seismic performance, using Capacity Spectrum
Method (ATC-40) and Displacement Coefficient Method (FEMA-
356). However, Lakshmanan cautions that these methods require expert
judgment due to uncertainties in modeling post-yield behavior and
hysteretic damping.
NRA Manual (2017) corroborates these findings, documenting post-
Gorkha earthquake damage patterns in Nepal, including diagonal shear
cracks in columns, spalling of concrete, and soft-story collapse. It stresses
the need for damage classification (e.g., EMS Damage Grades 1–5) to
prioritize retrofitting interventions.
Anika et al., 2023Anika et al. (2023) conducted a study on a G+1
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laboratory building in Bangladesh, employing ETABS 2016 software and
adhering to BNBC 2020 standards to evaluate seismic performance. By
calculating demand-capacity ratios (DCR), they identified structurally
deficient columns and retrofitted them using reinforced concrete (RC)
jacketing, enlarging column cross-sections from 16″×16″ to 24″×24″. Post-
retrofit analysis revealed significant improvements: critical DCR values
dropped from unsafe levels (e.g., 1.457) to below the safety threshold of 1
(e.g., 0.916), ensuring compliance with seismic codes.
Methodology
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Visual Inspection
Condition Maping
NDT Test
Numerical Model
Seismic Vulnerability
Assessment
No Retrofit Not
Recommend
Acceptable
Criteria ? Retrofit
Yes
Recommend
Limitations
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Limitations:
Limited to low-rise structures; excludes soil-structure interaction and
experimental testing.
Assumes standard material properties without lab verification.
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REFERENC
ES
REPAIR AND RETROFITTING MANUAL For RCC STRUCTURE Government of Nepal
National Reconstruction Authority Singhadurbar, Kathmandu .
SEISMIC RETROFITTING GUIDELINES OF BUILDINGS IN NEPAL, 2016 Ministry Of Urban
Development ,DUDBC Babarmahal Kathmandu
F. R. Anika1, T. Sarker2, M. Ahamed3, M. R. Awall4 SEISMIC RETROFITTING OF AN
EXISTING STRUCTURE & ITS COST-EFFECTIVENESS
N. Lakshmanan Structural Engineering Research Centre CSIR Campus, Taramani Chennai
SEISMIC EVALUATION AND RETROFITTING OF BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES.
Dr. Durgesh C. Rai Department of Civil Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur,
SEISMIC EVALUATION AND STRENGTHENING OF EXISTING BUILDINGS
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THANK YOU