Objectives
- Help families affected by the earthquake of October 8, 2005 to resettle permanently in earthquake-resistant housing.
- Providing people with appropriate, safe and sustainable know-how for rebuilding their homes.
- Demonstrate at national level that taking into account local know-how and, if necessary, improving it can provide a relevant response to the populations affected by this type of natural disaster.
On October 8, 2005, a violent earthquake devastated Pakistani Kashmir, killing over 73,000 people, injuring 69,000 and destroying almost 500,000 homes. Given the scale of the disaster, and the lack of available resources, reconstruction aid was considered from an innovative angle. ATLAS Logistique, with the technical support of CRAterre, proposed an approach based on the study and improvement of local earthquake-resistant construction cultures, taking into account the technical, social and economic context of the disaster-stricken populations. Major institutions such as UN-Habitat, the French Red Cross and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation have all adopted the same approach to reconstruction. Thanks to their strong involvement in Pakistan, they have been able to implement these strategies over time, with encouraging results.
The seismic-resistant construction cultures developed locally over hundreds of years in this region regularly hit by earthquakes have been documented. A scientific program has been developed to model these endogenous earthquake-resistant construction systems. The data thus collected was compiled into a "Trainer's Guide" made available to target populations and organizations involved in post-crisis reconstruction policy. The guide includes recommendations on how to improve local know-how. Three demonstration buildings were also designed and built, involving 40 local managers and craftsmen, who were then trained to disseminate the techniques more widely.
Initially, the local population took numerous initiatives to rebuild their homes in the best possible way, adopting seismic-resistant solutions that could be seen on the least damaged buildings. Then, in a second phase, the government and international aid agencies came up against a lack of knowledge about local building cultures, which by their very nature are diverse and varied. Unable to "scientifically" guarantee the relevance of these techniques, they eventually turned to so-called conventional techniques, mainly based on the use of reinforced concrete. The project has done much to raise the awareness of these organizations, but much remains to be done to ensure that local building cultures are better taken into account in the reconstruction effort in Pakistan.
The actions carried out as part of this project were as follows:
- Studies and documentation of local construction know-how, particularly with regard to earthquake-resistant construction cultures developed by local people;
- Compilation of know-how in a "trainer's guide". This guide also includes recommendations on how to improve local know-how;
- Design of demonstration buildings and training of managers and craftsmen linked to local project partner organizations during the construction of these demonstration buildings;
- Raising awareness among national and international organizations in charge of reconstruction programs in Pakistan.
Results
- Three completed show buildings;
- A technical guide for local trainers made available to local populations and organizations in charge of carrying out post-crisis reconstruction policy in Pakistan;
- 40 local craftsmen trained ;
- An impact on the typology of the buildings rebuilt in the localities where the prototypes were built;
- The implementation of research work aimed at modeling earthquake-resistant construction systems developed in local building cultures, in Pakistan and more generally around the world.
- 1 trained institution (NGO)
- 1,000 families reached
- 3 families rehoused
Partners
The craftsmen and managers of local partner organizations, The populations of the Khuffal Garh and Hans Choki districts, The organizations in charge of post-crisis reconstruction policy in Pakistan, Atlas Logistique, Fondation Abbé pierre, Fondation de France, Indus Earth, Helpers Fondation, ENTPE de Lyon, ATOLLING, Mr Ferrigni - University of Ravello in Naples.
