Uzbek -- Mass Scale and Experimental Design, Tashkent

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Uzbek -- Mass Scale and Experimental Design, Tashkent

Uzbekistan

Categories: Disaster and Emergency:
- civic awareness and preparedness
-contingency planning
-hazard reduction and mitigation
-life-line systems
-reduction of vulnerability
-rehabilitation/reconstruction
-response capacity
-risk assessment

Level of Activity: Provincial/State

Ecosystem: Arid/Semi-Arid

Summary

On the 20th of April, 2000 in Kamashy district of Kashkadarya region an earthquake with magnitude
5,4 and intensity of macroseismic effect on the surface 6¸7, according to MSK-98 scale, took place.
The earthquake caught the 400000 inhabitants of Kamashy district unaware, and there was no
preparatory or mitigatory measures in place. Though it wasn't classified as one of the strongest, it
damaged more than 80% of the district's infrastructure and caused damage to about 50 % of buildings
and constructions. There were cases of caving in of private housing, which in some cases were
constructed using local materials of low strength: pressed clay (pakhsa); adobe; lime-and-sand brick,
having cohesion with mortar equal to 0; baked brick. The building quality was very poor, and the
structures, actually, had no seismic reinforcement.

Before 1976 the town of Kamashy was considered to be located in an earthquake free zone. After 1976
this territory according to the map of seismic zoning was related to the areas with 7¸8 intensity.
Specialists involved might have recommended the demolition all the structures that didn't meet the
requirements of the Building Code for Seismic Regions and have proposed building development of
seismically resistant constructions. But two factors prevented this action: 1) economical difficulties; 2)
absence of roads for transportation of modern building constructions and elements to some hard-to-
reach foothills and mountainous regions. For instance: 80 from 100 damaged schools were located in
rural areas difficult of access. The same situation was with medical institutions.

UzLITTY Joint-Stock Co, as the head organization in the field of seismic engineering, put forward the
initiative to create a new efficient practice of liquidation earthquake consequences for ground
structures. It was necessary to develop a whole arsenal of technical methods for rehabilitation and
seismic strengthening of structures on the basis of local materials.

The State Committee for Architecture and Construction appointed a Commission from republican and
local specialists and officials. The Commission estimated damages, made vulnerability assessment of
all types of buildings and wrote a Statement for the Government. In its turn, the Cabinet of Ministers
established a Governmental Commission, issued several decrees and decisions on liquidation of the
earthquake consequences, assigned the rehabilitation projects to certain institutions. Next stages of the
practice included detailed technical investigation of objects, development of technical decisions on
rehabilitation and strengthening of existing buildings and design of new projects, able to endure
earthquakes with intensity 7,8,9.

On the last stage the rehabilitation, strengthening and construction of seismically resistant buildings
out of local materials were realized in practice. The safety of structures and effectiveness of
strengthening were proven during the second earthquake 18 January, 2001 when none of the
modernized buildings got damage

Narrative

Situation before the initiative began

Before 1976 towns in Kashkadarya region were made of buildings that were mainly built using
vulnerable materials as it was considered to be in a zone of low seismic intensity according to the map
of seismic zoning. Since 1976 the intensity level of seismic hazard for Kashkadarya region has
amounted to 7. Nevertheless such local wall materials, having poor cohesion with mortar and
prohibited in earthquake prone areas, as lime-and-sand brick, adobe, clay (pakhsa) have been used for
building constructions. Last earthquakes with intensity 7 made evident the negative characteristics of
construction on the basis of local materials. The majority of buildings got damages of the 3rd and 4th
degree according to the MSK scale. Mass demolition of buildings would have paralysed social and
economic life in towns and settlements in the epicentric area, and the usage of modern ferroconcrete
items for building constructions was impeded by difficult access to a number of regions and by
economic challenges. The initiators' efficiency consisted in developing and implementing new ways of
rehabilitation and building construction out of local materials, providing earthquake safety by
technically and economically effective methods.

Establishment of priorities

Over one hundred school buildings required emergency repair and reconstruction; eighty of them were
situated in hard-to-reach rural areas. Teachers had to conduct lessons outdoors and children sat in the
open air. The same situation was with medical institutions and residential buildings. While there were
no difficulties in design and construction of seismic resistant structures (for example, complex brick
structures with reinforced concrete covering) for towns and settlements, located on flat ground, it was
practically impossible to do the same for some settlements in high mountains. Under these conditions
the search of appropriate and effective technical solutions on antiseismic strengthening of buildings
out of local materials with low durability gain the priority. It was necessary to solve two tasks: 1)
rehabilitation and antiseismic reinforcement of building constructions that survived the earthquake; 2)
provision of seismic resistance for projects on the basis of local materials in the areas difficult to
access. In identifying priorities, specialists in engineering seismology, earthquake engineering, local
authorities, officials, responsible for supervision in architecture and construction, for security in
emergency situations were consulted. The Government of the republic involved the Cabinet of
Ministers and all interested Ministries and Departments.

Formulation of objectives and strategies

Since territories in Kashkadarya region and, particularly, in earthquake epicentric zone in Kamashy
and Dekhkanabad districts are agricultural and cattle-breeding areas, the problem of rehabilitation and
building construction mainly related to such civil objects, as residential, educational, health-service

and administrative buildings. The general strategy of the initiative was to mitigate the earthquake
effects using the most effective methods in the shortest possible time, as by the 1t of September school
buildings were to receive pupils and other institutions were to begin normal functioning.

The main objectives were:
- object classification according to the degree of damage and possibility of further employment;
- earthquake damage assessment, including demolition, rehabilitation, reconstruction expenditures, and
the search of funding;
- project development for rehabilitation and building construction from local materials applying new
methods of reinforcement;
- training in new building methods for builders and regular control over implementation of antiseismic
measures.

The strategy and objectives were approved by national and local authorities, corresponding ministries
and departments (by the State Committee for Architecture and Construction, in particular).

Mobilization of resources

Financial resources. Financial support of the initiative was mainly provided by the Department for
Capital Construction of Kashkadarya district and partially by the Uzbek State Committee for
Architecture and Construction (Gosarchitectstroy RU). The budget and finances of both institutions are
based on the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic through the Ministry for
Macroeconomics and Statistics.

Technical resources. Realization of research and design programs of the initiative required
mobilization of technical resources from participating institutions. The experimental base of the
initiative Head Institution - UzLITTI Joint-Stock Co - was involved, as well, as research and technical
funds of other institutions: test equipment for field studies and technical investigation of earthquake
affected bildings, seismometric equipment, personal computers with soft ware, training films about
seismic engineering in Russian and Uzbek for designers and builders.

Human resources. More than 80 specialists in the fields of seismology, earthquake engineering,
hydrogeology, emergency situations, economics, statistics, education, health-service and social science
participated in the initiative. More than 15 research, design and educational institutions, 6 ministries
and departments, city administration of Karshy - the capital of Kashkadarya district, local authorities
of Kamashy and Dekhkanabad regions, educational and health-service departments, national and
region banks,
departments for architectural and constructional supervision and public organizations were involved in
the initiative. In rehabilitation, reinforcement and building construction over 20 half-governmental and
private building companies took part, with total number of specialists exceeding 2000.

Process

The whole process of the initiative realization was subjected to its strategy and objectives, aimed at the
mitigation of the earthquake's consequences in Kashkadarya region in the shortest possible time.

The extraordinary character of the strategies and objectives arose from the specific situation: the
developing region; unfavorable natural and climatic conditions; vulnerable housing development;
impossibility to apply traditional earthquake engineering decisions using modern building materials
and constructions because of difficult access to some districts and lack of resources. Technical
parameters and safety of existing adobe, clay (pakhsa) and lime-and-sand brick constructional systems
were impossible to standardize, and it created additional difficulties for their seismic vulnerability
assessment. Furthermore, the lack, as a rule, of design estimates to the existing buildings required on-
site measurements and investigations for project rehabilitation.

The absence of standard decisions demanded identical assessment approaches of specialists from

different organizations. Thereto the authors of the initiative, UzLITTI Joint-Stock Co, developed a
questionnaire for pilot and detailed technical investigations of each object. An on-site training seminar
was organized for specialists from other institutions, engaged in investigations. Later on some
technical conclusions with recommendations were revised and checked on site. Thus UzLITTI
exercised control, aimed at obtaining adequate information on each object.

Other difficulties in achieving the objectives were connected with choosing untraditional rehabilitation
and reinforcement methods in seismic engineering structures using local materials with low durability.
Main technical decisions were developed by UzLITTI Joint-Stock Co, approved by the participating
institutions and by the Gosarchitectstroy, Republic Uzbekistan.

Based on the results of technical investigations a summary list of means and resources required for
mitigation of earthquake consequences was made out. Several stakeholders were involved in this
process and included,UzLITTI J-S Co, UzNIIPGrad, Gosarchitectstroy RU, Department for
Architecture in Kashkadarya District. The data obtained was submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers of
the Republic of Uzbekistan for decision making, and a special fund allocation Government edict was
issued.

The development process of restoration and strengthening of existing projects, and design of new
structures, with their consequent realization on site, begun. The key contractor of the initiative,
UzLITTI J-S Co , regularly consulted designers and builders on sites and conducted quality control, as
the majority of specialists involved had no experience in reconstruction, strengthening and building
construction using locally available material.

The process involved a lot of specialists, officials, institutions, departments and ministries. Their
activities were coordinated by the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan, by local authorities
(Khokimiyat) of Kashkadarya District and by the State Committee for Architecture and Construction
RU. The technical aspects were coordinated by UzLITTI J-S Co.

Results achieved

All the objectives, put forward by the initiative, were achieved. They include:

- accomplishment of the preparatory work (on-site investigation of earthquake affected constructions,
assessment of damages, preparation of data for the Government on required resources);
- development of technical decisions on restoration, antiseismic strengthening and building
construction using local material;
- implementation of projects to strengthen school buildings, kindergartens, hospitals and residential
houses (over 120 projects of strengthening and 50 projects for new construction were developed);
- building construction and rehabilitation of structures according to the developed projects in Kamashy
and Dekhkanabad districts; (more than 30 schools and kindergartens were rehabilitated and
strengthened, over 10 new schools were built).

There was commendable and efficient coordination in the activities by different governmental
institutions(the Cabinet of Ministers, Ministries for Finance and for Macroeconomics, for Education
and Health-Service, Gosarchitectstroy RU), local authorities ((Khokimiyat /Municipality/ of
Kashkadarya region, district khokimiyats), research and design institutes (more than 15 institutes from
different towns were involved), half-governmental and private building firms and organizations.

For the fist time technical decisions for strengthening structures on the basis of local materials,
prohibited earlier by existing regulations in seismic prone areas, were developed. To realize
Governmental Decisions and Ordinances on mitigation of the earthquake consequences local
initiatives were taken at the district and regional levels, which considerably promoted the process of
restoration and building construction in the earthquake affected areas. Training seminars on sites,
demonstration of films for designers and builders, made by UzLITTI J-S Co - about the nature of
earthquakes and factors, determining the seismic resistance of structures, broadened the educational

level of all sections of population on the issues of earthquake preparedness, familiarized them with
measures for risk mitigation, and helped people to become aware of the urgent necessity of improving
seismic safety of buildings.

Some cases of voluntary strengthening of private houses using methods similar to the ones used for
rehabilitation of public buildings, were succesful. The initiative was an example of effective utilization
of funds allocated by the Government for mitigation of earthquake consequences in educational
buildings, hospitals and municipal housing.

On the 18 of January, 2001 an earthquake with approximately the same epicenter in Kamashy district
took place with a magnitude of 5,4 and intensity 6¸7 on the MSK scale. By that time over 90% of the
rehabilitated and newly constructed buildings had been completed. Prompt technical investigation on
these constructions revealed no perceptible damage, thus realising the achievement of the objectives,
put forth by the initiative.

Sustainability

The initiative was aimed at providing sustainable development in earthquake affected areas, when
Government and community members were to take effective measures for seismic risk mitigation in
future.

Financial aspect. Maintenance of schools, children institutions, hospitals are reliant on the allocated
budget. One of the objectives consisted of economical consumption of allocated funds for
reconstruction by applying effective decisions and using local material where suitable in the
rehabilitation of buildings. The usage of natural local materials instead of limited power-consuming
structures also saved on expenditure.

Social and economical aspects. The concerned buildings related to the social sphere of human activity,
and expenses for their maintenance were not repaid. However, by allocating funds to reconstruction of
destroyed buildings the Government solved an important social problem: providing safety and social
security for the community in case of natural disasters and, in particular, the earthquakes in Kamashy
and Dekhkanabad districts of Kashkadarya region.

Cultural aspect. The characteristic feature of the initiative was the fact that the State, taking care of the
population in critical situations, gave priority to the reconstruction of such cultural building in urban
and rural areas, as educational institutions, clubs, cinemas, theatres and religious structures.

Ecological aspect. The initiative dealt with the usage of natural local materials for building
construction. Among them were adobe, lime-and-sand brick, natural stone. Reconstruction practices
provided for saving heat, electric power, water and other resources.

Lessons Learned

As a result of the initiative, the following experiences were gained:

- coordinated activity and compatibility of different ministries, departments, local authorities,
specialists, builders, public organizations and population in solving the main objectives of the strategy:
sustainable urban and rural development in the state of emergency, caused by natural disaster;
- employment of effective methods for rehabilitation and building construction from local materials,
particularly in out-of-the-way regions;
- training builders of various specialization for acquiring skills of rehabilitation and earthquake
resistant construction on the basis of local materials;
- implementation of new aseismic technology for building schools from natural stone in mountainous
regions difficult to access.

The obtained experience of restoration and building construction in seismic areas was applied in full

measure after the second earthquakes in Kamashy district with practically the same epicenter 18
January, 2001, and after Gindukush earthquake 3 March, 2002.

Transferability

Results and experience of the efficient practice of rehabilitation and seismic reinforcement of buildings
from local materials could be used on the territories with similar natural and climatic conditions, and
economic resources. Rehabilitation and strengthening methods, approved by the initiative of UzLITTY
J-S Co, were employed by other design institutes: by GIPROZDRAV - for health-service institutions;
UzGIPROVODHLOPOK - for rural projects in other regions of Uzbekistan.

A report on the results achieved was made at the All-Russian Conference on Seismic Engineering in
October, 2001. The initiative aroused great interest of specialists from the Nothern Caucasus, Ukraine,
Russia. They were ready to adopt the experience for taking preventive measures of seismic protection
in the cities of Sochy, Odessa, Makhachkala. The efficient practice of the initiative can be used by
practically all the states of Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey.

Presently, because of some difficulties in information distribution and recent character of the obtained
efficient practice, the geography of its application is not so wide, as it is possible. However, the
initiators have prepared additional recommendations on improving seismic safety of buildings from
local materials for including into construction regulations, currently in force in Uzbekistan, - KMK
2.01.03-96 "Construction in seismic areas". A Protocol and a Circular Letter of the State Committee
for Architecture and Construction with recommendations on design and construction of aseismic
buildings from local materials were directed to various design and building institutions.

It should be particularly noted that in 2000 the authors of the initiative submitted their initiative
"Reduction of seismic risk in megacities of Central Asian region" for Dubai International Award for
Best Practices to improve the living environment. The methods of 2000 initiative were applied to
seismic risk and vulnerability assessment of buildings in epicentral zone, Kamashy district. The
designed damage losses turned out to be very close to actual ones. We should also underline the
coincidence of failure rate of different types of buildings related to MSK-98 scale at earthquakes with
intensity 7, that was presented in 2000 initiative, and the failure rate, registered after the earthquake in
Kamashy district: for clay houses - 3-4; for baked-brick structures - 2-3; ferro-concrete frame
structures - 2-3; for adobe structures - 3.

In future it would be expedient to make seismic vulnerability and risk assessment for each town and
settlement in Uzbekistan and develop a plan of preventive seismic protection in order to minimize
damage of potential earthquakes and provide safety for human being

Key Dates

22 April, 2000. Kamashy-town - a Commission on technical assessment of earthquake affected
buildings in epicentral area was established. It included the representatives of: Khokimiyat (City Hall)
of Kamashy- town, Kashkadarya region; the State Committee for Architecture and Construction,
Republic of Uzbekistan; republican and local institutions.

Key words: classification of objects by their technical state; causes of destruction; damage assessment;
preliminary recommendations on rehabilitation and strengthening.

16 May, 2000. Tashkent - the Cabinet of Ministers issued Direction ? 265 "On the liquidation of the
earthquake consequences, that occurred April 20, 2000 in Kamashy district, Kashkadarya region".

7

Key words: establishment of the Governmental Commission on the liquidation of the earthquake
consequences; strategy; objectives.

27 May, 2000. Tashkent - Decree ? 244 of the Cabinet of Ministers "On the measures for liquidation of
the earthquake consequences in Kamashy district, Kashkadarya region".

Key words: fund allocation; reconstruction; due dates of commissioning for educational and health-
service institutions; objectives.

15 March, 2001. Tashkent - the Cabinet of Ministers issued Decree ? 125 "On the measures for
liquidation of the earthquake consequences, that occurred January 8, 2001 in Kamashy district,
Kashkadarya region".

Key words: fund allocation; the list of objects for rehabilitation; due dates of rehabilitation project
design; insurance companies' activity.

31 July, 2001. Kamashy-town - Training seminar for builders "Aseismic building construction on the
basis of sledged stone in out-of-the-way hills and mountainous areas of Kashkadarya region, affected
by the earthquake 18 January, 2001"

Key words: training; quality control; aseismic reinforcement and building constructions from sto

References

1. Khakimov Sh.A., Plakhty K.A. (2001) Reverse engineering and the experience of earthquake
sequences in Kamashy, Uzbekistan. (Russian). Thesis of report. In: IV Russian National Conference
on Seismic Engineering and Seismic Zoning with International Participation. Sochy, 9-13 October,
2001. P.105.

2. Khakimov Sh.A. (2001) Seismic risk and antiseismic strengthening of buildings, relating to different
types of significance and structure vulnerability. (Russian). Thesis of
report. In: International Conference "Building and Structure Reliability and Safety under Extreme
Impacts". 29-30 November 2001. Sanct-Peterburg. Pp. 43-45.

3. Khakimov Sh.A.(2000) Seismic vulnerability of buildings and problems of earthquake risk
mitigation in urban areas. (Russian). Architecture and Construction in Uzbekistan. 2000, ? 2-3, pp. 34-
37.

4. Khakimov Sh.A., Ibragimov R.S. (2000) Seismic hazard, seismic risk, principles of organization of
rehabilitation of existing dwelling fund buildings. In: Proceedings of 12WCEE, Auckland, New
Zealand, paper 1009.

5. Ibragimov R.S., Nurtaev B.S., Khakimov Sh.A. (2000) Methodology of assessment and mitigation
of urban seismic risk, taking into account variability of seismic hazard parameters. In: Proceedings of
12WCEE, Auckland, New Zealand, paper 2526.

6. Khakimov Sh., Ibragimov R. (1999) Optimization of antiseismic strengthening of buildings in terms
of seismic risk. In: Proc. of intern. Workshop "Recent earthquakes and disaster prevention
management", Ankara, Turkey, pp.113-120.

7. Rashidov T., Plotnikova L., Khakimov Sh. (1999) Seismic hazard and building vulnerability in
Uzbekistan. In: Seismic hazard and building vulnerability in Post-Soviet Central Asian Republics.
NATO ASI series, Environment, vol.52, pp. 147-180.

8. Khakimov Sh.A., Nurtaev B.S. (1999) Seismic hazard and seismic resistance of different
constructive systems in Central Asia. In: Proc. of UIA region II Workshop: Urban settlements and
natural disasters. Pp. 166-18

Contact

Shamil A.Khakimov
17 Niyazov str., Tashkent 700095
Republic of Uzbekistan
Tel.:(99871)2 460703; (99871)2 467466
Fax: (99871)2 676603
[email protected]
Type of Organization: Academic/Research

Nominating Organization

State Committee for Architecture and Construction
Farkhad F. Bakirkhanov
6 Abay str.,
Tashkent 700011,
Republic of Uzbekistan.
Tel.: (99871)1440064, 1440700
fax: (99871)1440261
Type of Organization: Central Government

Partners

Institute for Geology and Geophysics, Academy of Sciences
Nurtaev Bakhtier Sayfullaevich
49 Khodjibayev str.
Tashkent 700041
Uzbekistan
Tel: (99871) 1626882
Fax:: (99871)1626381
[email protected]
Type of Organization: Academic/Research
Type of Partner Support: Technical Support

Khan-Tengry TV Company
Djaparov Shamil Medetbekovich
73-A Druzhba str.
Byshkek, Kyrghyzstan
Tel: (996312)544459, 540100
Fax: (996312)540333
[email protected]

Type of Organization: Private Sector
Type of Partner Support: Technical Support

State Committee for Architecture and Construction
Bakirkhanov Farkhad Fattykhovich
6 Abay str.
Tashkent 700011
Uzbekistan
Tel: (99871) 1440064
Fax: (99871) 1440261
Type of Organization: Central Government
Type of Partner Support: Financial and political support

Financial Profile Total Partner C Partners Partner J Par
Budget (US$) (% of the budget ) D,E,L,M (% of the (%
Year (% of the budget ) bud
budget )
1999 37000 12000 - 25
2000 136000 3000 - 3000
2001 274000 3000 130000
2002 207000 4000 271000 -
(fore-cast) 198000 5000
Total 654000 3,4%
91,6% 1,2% 3

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