Adopt quantitative approach in designing buildings

?UNDERSTANDING THE pressure points in buildings is a crucial factor in making them earthquake resistant,? said Dr Sudhir K Jain, senior civil engineering department professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur.

“UNDERSTANDING THE pressure points in buildings is a crucial factor in making them earthquake resistant,” said Dr Sudhir K Jain, senior civil engineering department professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur.

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Addressing participants of the five-day short term course at the institute, Dr Jain said that during earthquakes buildings get “shaking” of different intensity.

“So architects should first study the location and surroundings of buildings to identify their possible shaking-intensity during earthquakes,” he said. They should adopt a quantitative approach while designing buildings, as each building responds differently according to its construction and surroundings. No single design formula can be applied to all type of buildings, he added.

Another speaker, Professor CVR Murthy said that analysis of the building structure should be considered to the extent of knowing the shaking effect on its different parts before giving final touch to the design.

Dr Durgesh Rai was of the view that as buildings adopt a non-linear behaviour during earthquakes, it was a challenge before the designers to provide them safety against it. “Though codes are available for designing earthquake resistant buildings keeping their non-linear motion in mind, these need to be understood to perfection first,” he said.

Thirty six teachers from various institutes of the country and eight professionals have joined the short term course organised under the National Programme of Earthquake Engineering Education (NPEEE).