Project News

New Minister Observed Experiment

On 28 December 2018, the project held an open experiment in the premises of the Department of Culture (DOC). The experiment, which is to develop a building guideline and standard, put stresses on the wall of a full-scale mock traditional house, such as one made of rammed earth or stone masonry, pushing slowly and gradually using a hydraulic jack system. From the experiment, evidence of the displacement or collapse patterns of the structures was gathered digitally on computer. The new Minister of Home and Cultural Affairs in Bhutan observed the experiment and asked the DOC engineers and Japanese experts about the objective and results of the stress testing. Some mass media, not only local TV such the Bhutan Broadcasting Services (BBS) and the Kuensel newspaper, but also a European broadcasting service, gave coverage of the experiment. Through the media, the Project Manager of the DOC sent a strong message that the project will keep up its efforts until earthquake resilient technologies reach the people of Bhutan.

• A local newspaper article on the experiment by Kuensel (External link)

Pushing a stone masonry wall with hydraulic jacks

A JICA expert explains the experiment to the Minister

The Project Manager of the DOC being interviewed by BBS

International Conference Presentation

On 10 December 2018, Dr Shiro Ohmi of Kyoto University delivered an oral presentation at the Fall Meeting organized by the American Geophysics Union (AGU), in Washington DC. He described progress and the monitoring of results by the project in Bhutan.

Title: Preliminary Seismicity Observed by the Seismic Monitoring Network in the Kingdom of Bhutan

Authors: Shiro Ohmi(1), Hiroshi Inoue(2), Jamyang Chophel(3), Phuntsho Pelgay(3) and Dowchu Drukpa(3).

Affiliation:(1) Kyoto University, (2)National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience, (3)Department of Geology and Mines, Ministry of Economic Affairs.

• Abstract (External link)

Dr Ohmi at the AGU Fall Meeting