Bhaktapur, January 18, 2017: The 7.8 richter scale earthquake on April 2015 that killed nearly 9,000 people was forecasted long ahead by geologists and Engineers in Nepal. On Magh 2, 1990 BS, an 8.0 magnitude earthquake, named as Nepal-Bihar earthquake killed nearly 8,000 people, at a time when the total population of Nepal was nearly 60,00,000 only. Thus, Magh 2 is celebrated as the Earthquake Safety Day in Nepal.
Khwopa College of Engineering (TU) and Khwopa Engineering College (PU) together hosted an event to mark the 19th national earthquake safety day on Magh 2 & 3. The event included models, collage and art exhibition on Magh 2 for general public in the Bhaktapur Durbar Square area. On Magh 3, the models were exhibited at the college, in the presence of national and international delegates.
More than 100 Students of civil engineering, electrical & electronics, and architecture participated in the event. The civil engineering models included techniques on building earthquake resilient low cost houses made from Bamboo, using carbon- fiber technology, reinforced interlocking brick & rubber soil mix technology with innovative concepts like filler slab concept, RCC Pad footing, and exposed foundation. It also included some retrofitting techniques, results of soil tests in places like Balaju and Gongabu and liquefaction problems among others. A masonry design of Dharahara fitted with seismic dampers and constructed with base-isolation methods was also exhibited on the occasion.
Electrical and Electronics models were showcased on the occasion to show how to connect technology with earthquake safety. A quadcopter was also made which had a test flight on the second day.
RupMati khoju, one of the participants in the exhibition shared, “My house was destroyed by the 2015 earthquake and now I am planning to make my new house from the interlocking brick technology displayed in the exhibition. I have also asked the students for their help and consultation.â€
As per organizers, more than 10,000 people visited in 2 days, and the event was concluded to be a huge success. Khwopa had been marking the earthquake day and organizing such programs for the last 4 years.
The event formally concluded on Magh 3 with organizing of the certificates and prize distribution ceremony to the best performing students in the expo.
By Bishesh Dhakal
The writer is currently an undergraduate level student of Civil engineering at Khwopa College of Engineering.
