India Real Estate Most Highrises in Mumbai are not Earthquake Resistant

India's growing economic might is making many countries look at it with a sense of envy. his newfound economic !ros!erity has also left India more vulnerable and susce!tible to natural calamities. It is im!erative that we start following the global best !ractices and sto! living in a sense of denial. wo countries have learnt their lessons the hard way "" the #$ and %a!an. he colossal damage caused by the quakes of &orthridge in '(() and *obe in '((+ forced the two governments to s!end millions on research. he research hel!ed to reach a better understanding of how structures !erform in devastating scenarios. his led to classification of buildings de!ending on their !erformance. &ow there e,ist internationally acce!ted documents issued by the two governments. -ith the real estate boom having taken India by storm. it is im!erative that everyone should understand the basics of seismic !rotection. Most neglect the sub/ect as one that is a bit too technical for their liking0 however. this should not be so. wo questions that occur to an average educated !erson are1 -hat are the different categories of quake !rotection2 -hat !rotection level is he achieving by following the Indian $eismic 3ode2 In today's world. sim!ly stating that a building is earthquake resistant is meaningless. It does not !ortray anything about the building !erformance during an earthquake. its !ost"quake use and the magnitude and kind of damage that it will sustain. It will come as a sur!rise that till date there is no definition in this country for what can be dubbed earthquake"resistant. &either the national disaster management guidelines nor the Indian seismic code has even attem!ted to address the issue. his has led the misuse of the term. Internationally. earthquake !rotection is classified into four categories. each having a detailed definition. he categories are1 o!erational. immediate occu!ancy. life"safety and colla!se !revention. '4!eration' is the highest level and is ado!ted for im!ortant structures like hos!itals. administrative centers and essential infrastructure. 4!erational buildings are seldom more than + or 5 storey high. he second level is 'immediate occu!ancy'. 6uildings designed to these standards sustain minimal structural damage even during a ma/or earthquake.

hey are safe for occu!ation and for use immediately after a ma/or earthquake. '7ife"safety' buildings are those that are so designed that their !rimary aim is to save lives0 the building !er se will sustain severe structural damage. 8fter the earthquake the kind and level of damage that the columns suffer will determine if the building is re!airable or will have to be demolished and rebuilt. he lowest category 'colla!se !revention' buildings are those that will sustain e,tensive structural damage. he damage will render the building unfit for use and will have to be immediately vacated. demolished and subsequently rebuilt. In case the builder9develo!er has followed the Indian seismic building code to the fullest. the building would achieve 'colla!se !revention' level of safety. he term 'colla!se !revention' is disguised in our country by using alternative words1 earthquake resistant. he detailed definitions of various categories of !rotection are1 Operational Level: he lowest level of overall damage to the building :highest !erformance;. he structure will retain nearly all of its !re"earthquake strength and stiffness. E,!ected damage includes minor cracking of facades. !artitions and ceilings as well as structural elements. 8ll mechanical. electrical. !lumbing and other systems necessary for normal o!eration of the buildings are e,!ected to be functional. !ossibly from standby sources. &egligible damage to non"structural com!onents is e,!ected. #nder very low levels of earthquake ground motion. most buildings should be able to meet or e,ceed this !erformance level. y!ically. however. it will not be economically !ractical to design for this level of !erformance under severe levels of ground shaking. e,ce!t for buildings that house essential services. Immediate Occupancy Level1 4verall damage to the building is light. <amage to the structural systems is similar to the 4!erational =erformance 7evel0 however. somewhat more damage to non"structural systems is e,!ected. &on" structural com!onents such as cladding and ceilings. and mechanical and electrical com!onents remain secured0 however. re!air and clean u! may be needed. It is e,!ected that utilities necessary for normal function of all systems will not be available. although those necessary for life safety systems would be !rovided. Many building owners may wish to achieve this level of !erformance when the building is sub/ected to moderate levels of earthquake ground motion. In addition. some owners may desire such !erformance for very im!ortant buildings. under severe levels of earthquake ground shaking. his level !rovides most of the !rotection obtained under the 4!erational 6uilding

=erformance 7evel. without the associated cost of !roviding standby utilities and !erforming rigorous seismic qualification to validate equi!ment !erformance. Life Safety Level: $tructural and non"structural damage is significant. he building may lose a substantial amount of its !re"earthquake lateral strength and stiffness. but the gravity"load bearing elements function. 4ut"of"!lane wall failures and ti!!ing of !ara!ets are not e,!ected. but there will be some !ermanent drift and select elements of the lateral"force resisting system may have substantial cracking. s!alling. yielding. and buckling. &on"structural com!onents are secured. but many architectural. mechanical and electrical systems are damaged. he building may not be safe for continued occu!ancy until re!airs are done. Re!air of the structure is feasible but it may not be economically attractive to do so. his !erformance level is generally the basis for the intent of code com!liance. Collapse Prevention Level or Near Collapse Level 1 he structure sustains severe damage. he lateral"force resisting system loses most of its !re" earthquake strength and stiffness. 7oad"bearing columns and walls function. but the building is near colla!se. $ubstantial degradation of structural elements occurs. including e,tensive cracking and s!alling of masonry and concrete elements. and buckling and fracture of steel elements. Infills and unbraced !ara!ets may fail and e,its may be blocked. he building has large !ermanent drifts. &on"structural com!onents e,!erience substantial damage and may be falling ha>ards. he building is unsafe for occu!ancy. Re!air and restoration is !robably not !ractically achievable. his building !erformance level has been selected as the basis for mandatory seismic rehabilitation ordinances enacted by some munici!alities. as it results in mitigation of the most severe life"safety ha>ards at relatively low cost. www.taylordevicesindia.com www.taylordesign.in