VERNACULAR BUILDINGS OF UTTARAKHAND

Abstract

India is known for its rich architecture. Vernacular architecture is evolved through trial and error for centuries by the people of that region. Similar is the case of uttarakhand, which is located in earthquake prone region but there are some structures which stand still under huge earthquakes. There are common occurrence of multi storied structures in rajgarhi area, uttarkashi district of uttarakhand. It is found that this region has evolved earthquake safe construction style as early as 900 years before past which is known as Koti Banal architecture. These are not built using codes but using traditional knowledge. The work here is to analyse the koti banal structure under earthquake loading and to compare it with other traditional structures.These structures have four to five stories . It is observed that buildings of koti banal architecture performed very good during past damaging earthquakes like kangra earthquake, uttarkashi earthquake etc.