Saturday, August 8, 2020

New building code to support in design standards

 Kathmandu, Aug 7

Amendment to the National Building Code 105:1994 has ended the obligation to rely on the Indian building code to build safe and quake-resilient houses.

It has included the structural design standards which are required for making all types of building quake resilient.

A Cabinet meeting on Monday approved the updated National Building Code 2020 replacing the old one of 1994.

The code was updated as per the suggestions from the Structural Engineers Association, designers, Institute of Engineering and other stakeholders. Earlier, it was approved by a committee on building construction strengthening committee led by the secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD).

The ministry said that the code was updated on the basis of earthquakes happened in the past two and a half decades, building codes of various countries, recent technology, research and innovations.

According to Chief of Residence Building Division at the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC) Nava Raj Pyakurel, the code facilitates in designing all types of buildings.

The code aims at offering process and standards for the engineering designs to construct small to high-rise buildings by utilising various construction materials.

Structural Engineer of Central Project Implementation Unit (Building) at the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) Bipin Kumar Gautam said that different building and structural standards are maintained in the code considering the varying degree of earthquake risk.

It has opened way for the use of new technology and methods. Its index includes detail information needed to make the steel and concrete building a quake-resilient one.

Structural engineer and Professor Dr. Prem Nath Maskey said that the new code was able to address the need for the latest building design and construction.

Chief Executive Officer of the NRA Sushil Gyawali expressed hope that it would support the safe Nepal campaign by promoting quake-resilient structures.

Published in the Rising Nepal daily on 8 August 2020. 

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