EARTHQUAKE RISK REDUCTION TO NON- ENGINEERED BUILDINGS: A STUDY OF PRACTICE IN INDONESIA

In recent years the lethal effects of earthquake events in and around Indonesia have been all too real. Tens of thousands of buildings have been destroyed and the death toll considerable. Many such buildings are classified as 'non-engineered' - in simple terms, unsystematically designed and poorly built structures. The application of earthquake-resistant, or seismic, building codes to non-engineered construction is paramount to ensuring safety against earthquake events. Risk reduction through the implementation of appropriate codes involves not merely technical intervention but involves a plethora of societal responses. This paper reports on a PhD research programme, funded by the Government of Indonesia, which has explored technical and societal elements which are significant to the seismic risk reduction of nonengineered buildings (SRRNEB). The overarching aim of the research was to examine the potential for reducing earthquake risk of non-engineered buildings within the context of current practices in Indonesia. The research methodology involved a triangulated qualitative-quantitative approach underpinned by the detailed review of literature from the Asia-Pacific region together with primary data gathered by a questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews with the stakeholders involved in Indonesian construction. Fifty-seven elements of effective risk reduction were identified, fifteen reflecting technical interventions and forty-two reflecting societal dimensions. Identifying, understanding and applying the appropriate combination of technical and societal responses to earthquake events will enable a new generation of risk reduction measures to be developed in Indonesia where the effective implementation of building codes can be achieved through regulatory and voluntary initiatives.