Vulnerability of Low Cost Masonry Buildings to Earthquakes : Cost Effective Construction Technique

The cost of housing has increased in recent years, posing great challenge to the engineers. By the use of traditional materials and construction methods alone, it will not be possible to construct houses at a pace matching the ever increasing demand. There is an urgent need for reducing the cost of construction by adopting some innovative techniques using traditional materials. Fired earth brick is the most popular low cost building material used in many part of the world. Some innovative techniques like the construction of brick masonry cavity walls and 190 mm thick reduced thickness wall by using the conventional solid bricks have been proposed in the recent years. Though considerable saving in the cost can be achieved by such techniques but its adoption in practice requires thorough understanding about their mechanical properties and the response of such structures to lateral loads especially the earthquake forces. This book is aimed at attaining these objectives so as to provide a rational design basis for such low cost buildings. This book is useful for researchers, practicing engineers, teachers and students who are working in the area of Civil Engineering.