Project News

Intermediate report of JICA training course (Earthquake Engineering course):

For one year from September 2020, Mr. Yadav Lal Bhattarai, a counterpart from the Department of Engineering Service (DES) of the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement, is participating in the JICA long-term training "Earthquake Engineering Course". This training is awarded by the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies with a master's degree (Master of Disaster Management). He had an interim debriefing session (Second Colloquium) on February 25 to announce the results of the training so far. Mr. Yadav presented his past activities on the introduction and dissemination of seismic technology into traditional masonry houses and the prospects for future individual research. He is studying through group lectures at the International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering (IISEE), then he will study for his individual research theme "Seismic Interventions on Stone Masonry Houses (Lateral force resisting capacity of seismic bands by FEM Analysis)". Training at Kagawa University (research institute for this project) is also planned for social implementation. It is expected that the knowledge learned from this training will contribute to the dissemination and social implementation of guidelines for seismic retrofitting technics suitable for Bhutan.

Mr. Yadav presenting at Colloquium (Photo and Material by Mr. Yadav)

Material: A part of Mr. Yadav's presentation

Intermediate report of JICA training course (Seismology course):

For one year from September 2020, Ms. Nityam Nepal, a counterpart from the Department of Geology and Mines (DGM) of the Ministry of Economic Affair (MoEA), is participating in the JICA long-term training "Seismology Course". This training is awarded by the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies with a master's degree (Master of disaster management). She had an interim debriefing session (Second Colloquium) by remote style on March 12 and presented the prospects for her research "Ground microtremor exploration" that she would conduct as her individual research in near future with examples of existing literature that would be helpful for her research. She is studying through group lectures at the International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering (IISEE) will be more specialized for individual research subjects under the guidance of her research advisor. It is hoped that the knowledge learned from this training will be returned to Bhutan to help the practical application and sophistication of microzonation, leading to the creation and updating of hazard maps.

Ms. Nityam presenting at Colloquium by Zoom (Photos by Dr. Hayashida(IISEE), Material by Ms. Nityam)

Ms. Nityam presenting at Colloquium by Zoom (Photos by Dr. Hayashida(IISEE), Material by Ms. Nityam)

MEXT scholarship student - Obtained diploma from Nagoya City University (doctoral course):

Since 2017, Ms. Phuntsho Wangmo, a counterpart (Department of Culture, Ministry of Home and Culture: DOC), has been taking the doctoral program at the Graduate School of Design, Nagoya City University as a government-sponsored international student (SATREPS frame) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). This time, she has earned the prescribed credits, passed the dissertation examination and final examination, and received a diploma. At the award ceremony on March 24, the president presented a diploma as a representative of the doctoral program. Ms. Phuntsho’s dissertation was " the development of seismic technology for composite masonry buildings in Bhutan." Her papers are submitted to academic societies and published in journals.

After her returning to Bhutan, "shaking table experiments" and "experiments using full-scale specimens (stone masonry and rammed earth)" are planned. In the future, the Research Institute for Traditional Structures (RITS) will be established, in where the equipment provided (reaction wall, shaking table) will be used and managed to continuously update seismic technology, and human resources will be trained and disseminate it. It is expected that her knowledge learned in Japan will be put to good use there as well.

Ms. Phuntsho presenting doctor's degree (Photos by Prof. Aoki (NCU))

Ms. Phuntsho receiving diploma of doctor (Photos by Prof. Aoki (NCU))