Seismic response of current RC buildings in Nepal: A comparative analysis of different design/construction

This paper presents the seismic response of the current reinforced concrete (RC) buildings in Nepal. It was achieved by non-linear static and dynamic analyses of four structures corresponding to four scenarios of design/construction, namely a building: (i) representing the Current Construction Practice (CCP) (ii) the Nepal Building Code (NBC), (iii) the Modified Nepal Building Code (NBC+) and (iv) a Well Designed Structure (WDS). The seismic demands are analyzed and discussed in terms of base shear, maximum roof displacement, capacity curve and inter-storey drift. The results indicate a good correlation between the static and dynamic methods. The Current Construction Practice (CCP) structure and Nepal Building Code (NBC) structures experience inter-storey drift demands higher than the other models and they also present some irregularities in the drift profile. The modified Nepal Building Code (NBC+) and Well Designed Structure (WDS) have presented a better performance with low inter-storey drifts. Finally, the safety assessment is performed based on drift limit proposed by ATC-40 and FEMA-356, showing that CCP and NBC building are highly vulnerable to earthquakes.

► Four types of RC building construction in Nepal were considered.
► Non-linear static and dynamic analysis was performed.
► Safety assessment was done by ATC-40 and FEMA-356.
► Existing RC buildings in Nepal are highly vulnerable.