Seismic fragility evaluation of the Nepalese pagoda temple: A case study of Laxmi Narsingha temple

Abstract

The preservation of cultural heritage has been a global concern. In the context of vulnerability assessments and risk reduction strategies studied, historical monument rehabilitation in Nepal has often occurred without a comprehensive damage grade analysis. This paper addresses this gap by presenting a seismic fragility assessment of a two-tier Nepalese pagoda temple, with the Laxmi Narsingha temple as a case study. This pagoda temple features load-bearing brick masonry with timber posts and crossbeams. Comparative finite element (FE) models—one with a masonry-timber interface and one without—were analyzed and subjected to pushover analysis. The failure mechanisms (cracks) in these models revealed distinct behavioral differences. The study further examined the influence and sensitivity of masonry properties on the temple's response quantities through parametric assessments. Furthermore, fragility analysis of the temple's analytical models was done for three performance levels- Immediate Occupancy (IO), Life Safety (LS), and Collapse Prevention (CP). The fragility analysis results indicate that the model with a masonry-timber interface recorded a higher likelihood of exceeding the limit states over the one without interface characteristics counterpart. The study helps to analyze and decide over the selection of a suitable analytical procedure to represent the failure mechanisms exhibited by the pagoda structure.