Pulchowk, Lalitpur–03
School block seismic retrofit
Complete
9,100 sq ft treated
11 months
Item rate, phased around the school calendar
A three-storey classroom block from the 1990s with under-sized columns, no ties at the beam-column joints, and cracked infill walls. The condition survey, rebound hammer readings and three cored samples all pointed the same way: the frame was strong enough to keep, but not as it stood.
All sixteen ground-floor columns were jacketed, two shear walls were added and tied into enlarged footings, and the cracked infill was stitched. The school never closed.
Job record
Job no.
MCC-198
Type
Column jacketing and new shear walls to an occupied building
Location
Pulchowk, Lalitpur–03
Area
9,100 sq ft treated
Client
Secondary school trust
Contract
Item rate, phased around the school calendar
Structural engineer
R. Shrestha, NEC 12408
Code basis
NBC 105:2020 · DUDBC retrofitting guideline
Duration
11 months
Handover
Bhadra 2080
Before / after
Scope of works
- Condition survey, rebound hammer testing and core sampling
- Chipping back to sound concrete and exposing existing reinforcement
- RCC jacketing of sixteen ground-floor columns with new ties and dowels
- Two new shear walls doweled into enlarged footings
- Crack stitching and re-plastering of infill masonry
- Reinstatement of finishes, wiring and boards in every treated room
Key dates
| Condition survey | Ashad 2079 |
| Design approved | Kartik 2079 |
| Jacketing complete | Jestha 2080 |
| Handed over | Bhadra 2080 |
What was difficult
Working around children. We took the heavy chipping into the two long vacations, hoarded and sheeted every active area the rest of the time, ran a separate site entrance away from the school gate, and stopped all noisy work during examinations.
“The school never closed. They worked in the vacations, sheeted everything else, and our children were never near the work.”
All client testimonials
Interested in similar work?
We can arrange a visit to a comparable site, and the owner of this job has agreed to take a call from prospective clients.