Most of the territory of Indonesia is prone to earthquake shaking. The Islamic University of Indonesia (UII) in collaboration with CEEDEDS International have set up field investigation teams to the earthquake damaged areas in Indonesia for the last 10 years. Close looking in the recent damaging earthquakes in Indonesia, non-engineered house using masonry walls (NEHMW) were popular but always suffered most and caused most loss of life and loss of properties. If such structures are not constructed properly, in the future they are still potential to become terrible killers. This leads to focus this paper on this kind of structure.
During the field investigations, the teams not only investigated the damaged structures but also interacted with local people and related institutions. Those experiences are very beneficial in (I) understanding the dynamic performance of non-engineered structures that apply local technology, (2) portraying the society condition and their real needs in short and long terms after the jolts, including their needs in affording earthquake-resistant houses, and consequently, (3) inspiring the demand in innovation of earthquake resistant NEHMW such as modified BARRATAGA.
This paper briefly reviews the lessons learnt from those field investigations, and consequently, the need for response actions in the innovation of NEHMW in material, structural system, socialization means, and construction method to effectively reduce the effects of future earthquake disasters in Indonesia. |