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SAFELIVES, SAFEBUILDINGS
N E W D E L H I , S AT U R D AY, J A N U A R Y 2 5 , 2 0 1 4 , 1 4 PA G E S w w w . h i n d u s t a n t i m e s . c o m
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SPECIAL ISSUE

SAFETY BE DAMNED
Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon, all part of the high-risk seismic zone 4, are getting ready to go as high as 80 floors. What is alarming is that the city does not have a tall buildings code for safety of structures
Vandana Ramnani
vandana.ramnani@hindustantimes.com

takeve what are the codes all about?

Codes versus guidelines: Codes are legally enforceable but guidelines are for designers and are not legally enforceable. India has neither a tall building code nor guidelines Ensuring earthquake protection: There are a number of advanced technologies available in the world for protecting buildings from earthquakes shock transmission devices, dampers, etc Zero accountability: The Bureau of Indian Standards codes are for general buildings that are up to nine to 10 storeys high. While following an international code is ne, using the existing building code meant for 10 storeys is fundamentally wrong. Both cases offer zero accountability Responsibilities of a developer: Any developer constructing a tall building has to submit a detailed plan of the project. He is also expected to carry out surveys such as wind load, earthquake load, environment impact, trafc impact etc What is required: Awareness and updation of codes every two to three years. Public should also be made aware that even if the code prescribes that the building adheres to the lowest level, it can be designed to the next level

ndia has five tall buildings, the highest being the 117-storey World One project in Mumbai, that have made it to the recently released Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats list of 100 tallest buildings under construction in the world 2013. The country has over 100 tall structures that are ready and another 200 are in the pipeline. What is alarming is that despite the country not having a tall buildings code, both Noida and Gurgaon, which are part of the high-risk seismic zone 4, are building 50-storey-plus structures, and Delhis Master Plan 2021 focuses on vertical development as the only way forward.

Structural and seismic engineering experts lay great emphasis on the fact that a specialised tall buildings code is the need of the hour. In its absence, most tall projects in the country are being constructed in consultation with international experts who have worked on similar projects abroad. While theres nothing wrong in following international best practices or codes, nobody can be held accountable if an eventuality like an earthquake were to occur and destroy or damage buildings, say experts. They also point out that most building codes in the country are almost a decade-old or more and applicable to structures of up to only nine to 10 storeys. There are also no mandatory specialised provisions for wind or earthquake loads that are

prerequisites for constructing tall structures. What this means is that in the eventuality of an earthquake in the zone 3 or zone 4 areas, nobody can be held accountable if there is damage to the structures, as these have been built according to the existing code. Developers attempting to build structures above 50 storeys should know that the outcome will be similar to an automobile manufacturer attempting to make aircraft, the experts warn. Mumbai has tried to make up for the absence of a tall buildings code by setting up a tall buildings committee which reviews the projects. The National Management Disaster Authority (NDMA) had also proposed the setting up of a Delhi Tall Buildings Council to the Delhi government in 2011. That,

at best, can only be a stop-gap arrangement. The need of the hour is a tall buildings code, say experts. Rama Raman, CEO, Noida Authority, agrees. As of now, developers planning to build tall structures are expected to submit no-objection certificates with the authority . These include clearances from the airport authorities and the fire department. We, too, may consider setting up a council
Continued on page 12 Related stories on page 12

Talk to us Should India have a tall buildings code? Why or why not?

RENT AND CAPITAL RATES

FARIDABAD (RESIDENTIAL) Location Ashoka Enclave Badkal Lake Rental (per sq ft*) 9-11 8-10 7-14 18-20 10-13 8-10 7-11 5-10 Capital (per sq ft*) 6000-10000 4000-9000 3000-4000 9000-11000 3000-6000 3000-4000 4000-6000 2000-3000
Source: Makaan.com

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TALL BUILDINGS CODES AROUND THE WORLD

China: The Chinese code is called JGJ 3-2010 Technical Specification for Concrete Structures of Tall Building. This is considered the best code in the world by experts US: Tall Buildings Initiative: Guidelines for performancebased seismic design of tall buildings; Los Angeles Tall Buildings Structural Design Council: An alternative procedure for seismic analysis and design of tall buildings located in the Los Angeles region; Recommendations for the seismic design of high-rise buildings by the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) Japan: The document usually referred to as the Japanese Code is the Building Standard Law, including its enforcement order, which contains requirements enabling implementation of the Building Standard Law

Safety standards set low for Delhi buildings

NDMA has proposed the setting up of a tall building council for the Capital
Vandana Ramnani
vandana.ramnani@hindustantimes.com

BPTP Charmwood Village Green Field Nahar Par NIT Palwal

* The rates, in rupees, are indicative only

he highlight of Delhis Master Plan 2021 is vertical growth to accommodate the Capitals growing population. Despite that, a formal code for tall buildings does not exist in the country, and most buildings are designed at collapse prevention level which is a minimum performance

standard. The National Disaster M a n a g e m e n t Au t h o r i t y (NDMA) has, however, come up with a proposal to set up a Delhi tall building council (DTBC) on the lines of the Mumbais Tall Building Committee. The proposal was sent to the Delhi government for its approval in 2011. The idea behind the document will be to ensure that Delhi is prepared

to meet the challenges related to tall structures and use it as a tool for better management of tall buildings much before such projects come up on the ground, says an NDMA source. The role of the tall building council, as proposed in the document, will be to guide the city as it transits from low-rise/ medium height structures to safer tall buildings. As more tall buildings come up in the city, a higher level of technical knowledge and stringent requirements that may not be laid down in the municipal bylaws will be required, the

proposal says. The draft proposes that every agency that wishes to construct a tall building on the land that falls under the Delhi government, will be required to present a technical dossier to the proposed tall building council of the government of Delhi. Potential members of the DTBC could include senior structural engineers with wind and earthquake design experience, senior architects with architectural design and facade design experience, senior fire engineers, senior geophysicists, green building engineers.

12 htestates
Indias structures are built for minimum damage control
Vandana Ramnani
vandana.ramnani@hindustantimes.com

HINDUSTAN TIMES, NEW DELHI, SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2014

Safety compromised in buildings

THE FOUR PERFORMANCE LEVELS OF BUILDINGS
Fully operational level: This means the building in the aftermath of a quake has every chance of remaining operational with electricity, air conditioning, lifts etc all working. No damage is likely in the building and its functions are not likely to be disrupted Immediate occupancy performance level means a building can remain intact after an earthquake but its services are likely to get damaged. The functioning of such buildings are likely to resume immediately after a quake
simply say that the structure is weak because it conforms to the minimum requirement, the expert adds.

ts a safety standard thats barely there, say housing experts. Most buildings in India are designed at a collapse prevention level which is a minimum performance standard. In countries around the world safety of life is prioritised. Developers adhering to such low standards can take the easy way out and not be held responsible in case there is extensive damage to their buildings after a calamity like an earthquakes. It also costs money to maintain stringent safety standards. The code should clearly state that one is free to design buildings of a higher grade, experts add. The National Disaster Management Guidelines for ensuring disaster resilient construction of buildings and infrastructure financed through banks

and other lending institutions were brought out in 2010. These clearly spell out the expected performance of buildings (8.2.1) and assess the safety of buildings in four categories (see box below). The guidelines mention that the building should be designed so as to meet the minimum performance level, but it does not state anywhere that people are free to design for higher standards. These are some of its administrative flaws, says a seismic expert. Today, low safety standards are set despite the modern technologies being available to design safe buildings and maintaining immediate occupancy (a solid structure which has all chances of surviving a quake). In the unfortunate event of a building collapsing the structural designer can claim that he cannot be held accountable as he has followed the code which requires minimum safety standards. Hell

Life safety performance level means the structure can get damaged in an earthquake but such damages are likely to be minor and can be repared. There could be significant damage to the building but it would not collapsed and could be retrofitted Collapse prevention performance level means the building and its utilities can sustain major damage in an earthquake. The structure can also be in the danger of collapsing completely. The building can also become uninhabitable after a quake
The cost of building a structure at an immediate occupancy level comes to `300 per sq ft more than collapse prevention level.

Continued from page 1

SAFETY BE DAMNED
on the lines of the Mumbai tall buildings committee, Raman adds. Interestingly, local bylaws do not define tall buildings. Anything above 15 m in height is generally classified as a highrise. There is confusion over the definition of a high-rise structure and a tall building. Both, a 10-storey building and a structure above 50 -storey , come under the same category. This is a big loophole, say experts, adding that the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2013 also does not mention this issue at all. Most codes in India are 10 to 20 years old. For example, the Bureau of Indian Standards code (BIS) IS 1893 (part 1):2002 lays down the criteria for earthquake resistant design of structures. This is as old as 2002. Even countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Philippines have their codes updated every three years. Why have we not updated our codes

for over a decade? The fact that our codes are not updated is a big drawback,saysSandeep Donald Shah, managing director, Taylor Design and Engineering Consultants Pvt Ltd & Taylor Devices India Pvt Ltd, a company that manufactures earthquake-absorbing devices such as dampers. According to Sanjay Prakash, principal consultant at SHiFt: Studio for Habitat Futures, insurance companies are unprofessionally managed in India. What is needed is an ombudsman under the National Disaster Management Authority, which might be able to assure that a building has been designed and

constructed as per the proper codes. The issue of accountability needs to be addressed in a big way . Strangely enough, no engineer in India can be held responsible for damage to structures in any court of law as there is no engineering council such as the council of architecture under which architects across the country are registered. The council keeps a tab on the standards of practice to be complied with by the practising architects. A draft of the engineers bill that proposes setting up a council for engineers has been pending with the MHRD since 2007, says an NDMA source.

TALL FACTS
What is a tall building?
There is no absolute definition of what constitutes a tall building. It is a building that exhibits some element of tallness in one or more of the following categories: Height relative to context It is not just about height, but about the context in which it exists. Thus, whereas a 14-storey building may not be considered a tall building in a high-rise city such as Chicago or Hong Kong, in a provincial European

city or a suburb this may be distinctly taller than the urban norm

Proportion
Again, a tall building is not just about height but also about proportion. There are numerous buildings which are not particularly high, but are slender enough to give the appearance of a tall building against low backgrounds.

Tall technologies
If a building contains technologies which may be attributed as being a product of tall (eg, specific vertical

transport technologies, structural wind bracing as a product of height, etc), then this building can be classed as a tall building. Although the number of floors is a poor indicator of defining a tall building due to the changing floor to floor height between differing buildings and functions (eg office versus residential usage), a building of perhaps 14 or more storeys or over 50 meters (165 feet) in height could perhaps be used as a threshold for considering it a tall building.
Source: Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH)