Project News

Making Stone Masonry Specimens

The Department of Culture (DOC) and the Department of Engineering Services (DES) are preparing for a new test that is to be conducted in December. Several specimens made from stone with different reinforcements have been built along a riverside in the Babesa district of Thimphu city. Two objectives of the testing will be to assess the characteristics of stone masonry structures with and without intervention and to assess and validate the effectiveness of the strengthening interventions. Given the recommendation for strengthening interventions, these are necessary to ascertain the improvements to the structural resistance of the indigenous construction technology against earthquake. If deemed to be effective, the interventions, which are very practical and easily doable, will be widely adopted across the country.

Report by JICA Training Participant

On 30 November, an engineer from the DES reported what he learnt from the JICA training programme held in Japan. Mr Jigme Wangdi had participated in the JICA Knowledge Co-Creation Programme, "Improvement and Disaster Prevention of Housing and Living Environment", in September 2017. He delivered a presentation for young project members about cases of disaster prevention in Japan and initiated a discussion about what actions are feasible in the context of Bhutan. During the discussion, a JICA volunteer engineer suggested that collaboration beyond sectors, for example, between engineering, geology and education, is important in preparing comprehensive national disaster actions.