World Bank Project for Improving Resilience to Seismic Risk in Bhutan
- Client Royal Government of Bhutan – World Bank Project
- Site Bhutan
- Date of service 2014-2016
- Assignment Preliminary, definitive, detailed design phases for structural works; assistance for work supervision, training course on seismic retrofitting.
- Team ALL Ingegneria, ing. Roberto Giacchetti
Bhutan has been affected by several earthquakes over the last century that have confirmed the high seismic activity of the country. Both the M6.1 earthquake of 21th September 2009 in Eastern Bhutan and the M6.8 earthquake of 18th September 2011 in Sikkim, which principally affected Western Bhutan, have claimed numerous lives and caused severe damages to buildings.
The Project "Bhutan: Improving Resilience to Seismic Risk" has just the objective to improve the understanding of earthquake risk in Bhutan, as well as opportunities and challenges associated with its mitigation.
The Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) has received, from the World Bank, a Grant in support of Seismic Resilience Project that consists of five components including the given assignment in subject for consulting service for "Retrofitting Design, Implementation and Vulnerability Assessment".
The objectives of the assignment are:
- i. Development and implementation of retrofit schemes for four public structures to serve as practical pilot examples/guide for engineers, local artisans and home owners in carrying out future retrofit works of similar nature in the country.
- ii. Development of vulnerability assessment guidelines for the different building typologies existing in Bhutan to enable the RGoB to carry out vulnerability assessment and forecast risk.
- iii. Build capacity of Bhutanese engineers on retrofitting and vulnerability assessment through relevant trainings (theoretical as well as hands-on).
- iv. Build capacity of local artisans primarily through hands-on training in the retrofitting projects.