Damage to Cultural Heritage Structures and Buildings Due to the 2015 Nepal Gorkha Earthquake

Abstract

Cultural heritage structures are an integral facet of the irreplaceable cultural heritage of a nation and have been constructed several hundreds and even thousands of years ago. In this paper, based on a field reconnaissance of the highly damaged areas of Kathmandu Valley and Sindhupalchowk district, damage to cultural heritage structures due to the 2015 Nepal Gorkha earthquake and its impact on Nepal are reported. Damages to engineered and non-engineered buildings are also discussed. The damage patterns observed and discussed will be useful for the prevention of damage to cultural heritage structures and other buildings in seismically active countries.