Investigation of earthquake-damaged and affected structures

Abstract

Recent earthquakes in Zinda Jan district, Herat province during the fall season of 2023 resulted in more than 2000 casualties and the destruction of numerous houses and buildings in the villages of Zinda Jan. From a technical perspective, notable factors in this tragedy include traditional and improper construction methods, the formation of structures with metal frames, concrete structures, and load-bearing walls without proper earthquake design. Based on surveys in the affected villages of Zinda Jan, the buildings can be categorized into four types: traditional mud-brick houses, masonry structures, concrete buildings, and metal structures. In the research, more than 95% of mud-brick houses were destroyed due to their lack of resilience against earthquakes, causing the highest number of casualties. Timber-framed structures and load-bearing walls ranked second, causing the most damage after mud-brick houses. However, fortunately, fewer roofs collapsed, resulting in the preservation of human lives. In the studied areas, concrete buildings and metal structures are also noticeable, with some of these structures suffering severe damage while a few remained intact without significant damage. This study discusses the vulnerability of buildings and houses, as well as the reasons for the incurred damages, which have yielded desirable results. It is undeniable that shortcomings in planning, design, calculations, execution, and supervision all played a role in this major incident because only a few structures remained undamaged in this earthquake.