CASE STUDY BUILT BUILT FORM FOR M IN KASMIR DUE TO CLIMATE CLIMATE Kashmir Kashmir is a seismically active area, and earthquakes big and small will continue to occur. occur. It is not possible to predict when and where an earthquake will strike, nor its intensity. intensity. It is therefore hoped that this research will be useful to engineers, architects, contractors, masons and people who may be planning planning to retrot existing houses houses and public buildings to reduce their vulnerability to future earthquakes. Winter cold is the most common natural factor governing most of Kashmir. hick walls of brick andstone with mud plaster provide excellent protection against this, as does a thick mud!timber mud!timber roof. roof. he lighter, lighter, pitched roof made of of timber and "#I sheets sheets in combination with the attic $oor also ensures livable conditions inside the house in winter and summer. summer. he steep pitch of the light roof permits little accumulation of snow and prevents any water leakages.
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THE VALLEY OF KASHMIR KAS HMIR – RURAL RURA L
he ma%or factors that dictate the local architecture are &a' easy access to good soil for brick!making, and to water and timber, &b' snow in winter, and &c' possibility of earthquakes. (s a result, walls are made mainly out of timber and bricks, baked or unbaked. he most common wall types are load bearing) &a' baked brick &external wall' masonry with mud or cement mortar, with or without plaster, &b' unbaked brick &internal wall' with mud mortar and mud plaster, plaster, or &c' unbaked brick with baked brick veneer &external wall' masonry with mud mortar, with or without plaster, or &d' *ha%%i timber framed constructions with inll of baked brick in cement mortar or unbaked brick masonry in mud mortar, both + thick with timber frame. -any structures which are typically single! and double!storey have *ha%%i walls in the upper storey and the gables. oofs slope steeply in two directions. (lthough planks or shingles of hardwood like *eodar were formerly the main roong materials, today "#I sheets on timber supports have become the most common type of roong.
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THE VALLEY OF KASHMIR – URBAN
he urban areas of the /alley have architecture that is distinct from all other areas. he main factor determining this architecture is the high density of development. his calls for vertical growth, resulting into three to four!storey structures. he two most common walling systems observed are &i' *ha%%i type, with timber frame and inll consisting of baked or unbaked bricks, and &ii' aaq type, consisting of brick masonry interlaced with heavy timber bands supported on large masonry piers made of baked bricks. he timber frames in the *ha%%i walls are generally well laid out with a system of diagonal bracings that provide a distinct path to the ground for the stresses caused by lateral seismic forces. In addition, the walls are lightweight and hence have less mass and less lateral seismic loads. hus this type of wall is able to withstand ground settlement and ma%or earthquakes without su0ering much damage. he aaq type of construction has a large number of windows &1aaq2 means window', one in each gap between the piers. he roofs are two! and four!sided pitched. he wood shingle roong that was once used in most structures has been replaced by the "#I sheeting on account of economics and availability.
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE IN KASHMIR (s we know that the Kashmir can undertook earthquake at any time . 3o we use vernacular architecture in Kashmir. Vernacuar arc!"#ec#ure is a category of architecture based on local needs and construction materials, and re$ecting local traditions. It tends to evolve over time to re$ect the environmental, cultural, technological, and historical context in which it exists. While often not thoroughly and academically planned, this kind of architecture played and still plays a ma%or role in the history of architecture and design, especially in local branches. /ernacular architecture can be contrasted against polite architecture which is characterised by stylistic elements of design intentionally incorporated for aesthetic purposes which go beyond a building4s functional requirements. /ernacular construction in response to climate of the regions whether it5s a house in a%asthan meant to cope the hot summer sun, -angalorian
roof to cope the heavy rainfall, the light weight (ssamese house &ekra walls' to cope the earthquakes or the santhal villages of 6engal. /ernacular architecture aims at comfort using natural and local materials and architecture.
*ha%%i 7rame construction and aq construction are ne examples of vernacular architecture to climate response in 8ill architecture. 7actors that govern the popularity of construction of *ha%%i and aq construction are) e0ective response to extreme cold strong winds or high earthquake 9one, :imited availability of top soil, easy maintenance by common persons, economics in relation to peoples spending capacity. *ha%%i timber framed construction is with baked brick inll in cement mortar and unbaked brick masonry in mud mortar both in +2 thick timber frame work. hese structures are typically single or double storey. *ha%%i dewari construction is not unique to Kashmir alone but was also found in :isbon as #aiola frame after the ;<== earthquakes also known as 8alf timber in 6ritain and 7ach work in #ermany. *ha%%i gets its name from quilting which is produced from reused scrap and small pieces of cloth, thereby making it sustainable and vernacular. he ability of disparate materials each of relatively low strength to work together as a single system. *ha%%i diwari is a variation of timber and masonry construction.
aq timber construction a combination of wood and unreinforced masonry laid on weak mortar gives the building the required $exibility and uses traditional architecture and material. aq construction is a bearing wall masonry construction with hori9ontal timber lacing embedded in the masonry> it is usually congured with a modular layout of masonry piers and window bays tied together with ladder like construction of hori9ontal timber embedded in the masonry at each $oor level.
hese hori9ontal 1ladder bands2 are located at the base of the structure to the modular layout of the piers and window bays, i.e. a ve!taq house is ve bays wide. he masonry above the foundation &das or dassa', and at each $oor level and at the window lintel level aq refers piers &tshun' are almost always ;?!@ feet &+=!AB cm' square, and the bays are approximately C!+ feet &DB!;@Bcm' in width. 6ecause this modular pier and bay design and the timber!laced load!bearing masonry pier and wall system go together, the name has come to identify the structural system.
aqsystem does not consist of complete frames instead has larger timber runners resting along the load bearing masonry walls with $oor beams and runners from the cross walls lapping over them. he construction practices used for these buildings, which stand in contrast to today4s codes and accepted practices, include &;' the use of mortar of negligible strength, &@' the lack of any bonding between the inll walls and the piers, &C' the weakness of the bond between the commonly!accepted wythes of the masonry in the walls, and &+' the frequent use of heavy sods.
