Vulnerability assessment and retrofitting of existing school buildings: A case study of Aceh

Purpose: As the widely held perception is that retrofitting is a complicated process and is expensive, the purpose of this paper is to analyze cost effectiveness of retrofitting existing buildings in order to make them safer against earthquake and also to add child friendly features. This case study focuses on the simple method of retrofitting on rectangular single storey existing school buildings. The school buildings are of different types, based on material, shape and size, number of storeys and their vulnerability to earthquake is different case by case. The paper also outlines the process of vulnerability assessment and approach to retrofitting. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on the data collected from a case study carried out in Aceh (Indonesia) as a part of an assessment of vulnerability of newly constructed school facilities and retrofitting them in order to increase their seismic performance. Findings: One of the key findings of this study is that retrofitting can be achieved through the use of simple methods, tools and equipment and local human resource. This approach not only reduced the vulnerability of school children to earthquake disaster but also contributed to disseminate the message of culture of safety among the neighboring communities. Another major finding is that cost of retrofitting is less compared to the cost of demolition and rebuilding. The retrofitting option further saves the cost as it is time saving and the downtime is less. The retrofitting process and onsite training can also be an effective medium for dissemination of best construction practices in the community. The process also helps the local people to understand the context of risk and raise awareness on disaster risk reduction. Research limitations/implications: The findings of this paper are not limited to vulnerability assessment and retrofitting of school building in Aceh. They can be replicated in other parts of Indonesia and countries having similar type of buildings. Practical implications: The findings of this paper will be useful for decision makers to replicate similar processes in other types of schools in other areas. The findings will also be useful advocate disaster safer and child friendly schools. Originality/value: The paper is unique in its findings that retrofitting of school buildings does not only make the schools safer and reduces the risk to children but is also cost effective compared to new construction.