{"id":3912,"date":"2026-08-29T11:07:29","date_gmt":"2026-08-29T11:07:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/srkanalytics.com\/?p=3912"},"modified":"2026-08-29T11:07:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-29T11:07:29","slug":"fischer-earthquake-proof-retrofitting-solutions-a-new-hope-for-millions-of-existing-buildings-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/srkanalytics.com\/?p=3912","title":{"rendered":"fischer Earthquake-proof Retrofitting Solutions – A New Hope for Millions of Existing Buildings in India"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tA research project carried out by the fischer Group of Companies in collaboration with\u00a0Purdue University (USA) has shown that existing buildings can be made significantly more\u00a0resistant to seismic forces through targeted retrofitting measures. In earthquake-prone\u00a0regions, such solutions have the potential to improve structural safety and help protect\u00a0lives. The severe earthquakes of recent days have once again tragically demonstrated\u00a0how vulnerable people are in seismically active regions. The images of destroyed homes\u00a0and the high number of casualties are deeply distressing \u2013 and raise a pressing question:\u00a0how can such disasters be prevented in future, or at least their consequences mitigated?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\n\tfischer earthquake-proof retrofitting solutions<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tPart of the answer lies in the so-called building stock. While new buildings today are\u00a0subject to strict seismic standards, millions of older structures worldwide were built long\u00a0before modern earthquake-resistant design standards came into force. It is precisely in\u00a0the places where people live and work that the necessary protection is often lacking.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\n\tThe real risk lies in the existing building stock\u00a0<\/strong>
\n\tAround 500,000 earthquakes are recorded worldwide every year (Source: US Geological\u00a0Survey). Densely populated regions along the Pacific Ring of Fire, in the Mediterranean,\u00a0in the Himalayan region and in Central America are particularly at risk. Furthermore,\u00a0human activities such as geothermal energy extraction, fracking and the construction of\u00a0large reservoirs can also trigger earthquakes.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\n\tDemolishing and rebuilding all at-risk buildings is not a realistic option \u2013 it would be too\u00a0expensive, too time-consuming and too resource-intensive. The crucial question is\u00a0therefore: how can existing buildings be retrofitted so that they can withstand such\u00a0events and help protect human lives?\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\n\tResearch involving large-scale tests on full-scale structures\u00a0<\/strong>
\n\tTo answer this question, the fischer Group of Companies, in collaboration with its partner\u00a0university, Purdue University (USA), carried out a research project involving tests on full scale reinforced concrete structures. The project was led by Prof Akanshu Sharma,\u00a0Associate Professor at Purdue University and former Endowed Professor at the Institute\u00a0of Materials Science at the University of Stuttgart. The focus was on so-called beam column joints: the connection points between beams and columns. In the event of an\u00a0earthquake, these can quickly become weak points in a structural system.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\n\t\u201cThese beam-column joints in RC frame structures are subjected to particularly high\u00a0stresses and significant force caused by horizontal loading during an earthquake<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0explains Dr Margaritis Tonidis<\/strong>, a former PhD Candidate at Purdue University and leading\u00a0Project Engineer of the project. If these joints fail, an entire building can collapse.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\n\tStrong where it matters\u00a0<\/strong>
\n\tThe solution tested addresses precisely these critical points: so-called haunch elements\u00a0\u2013 in this case, steel diagonal braces \u2013 are integrated into the existing structural framework\u00a0using injection mortar and threaded rods, thereby specifically reinforcing the joints on\u00a0site. Dr Erik Johannes Stehle, Head of Development FiXperience at fischer<\/strong> emphasized \u201cThe tests have shown that the earth-quake resistance of existing\u00a0buildings can be significantly increased if the critical points in the load-bearing\u00a0structure are specifically identified and reinforced<\/em>.\u201d The key advantage is that the\u00a0retrofitting can be carried out with relatively little intervention in the existing structure.\u00a0Residents and users therefore need not fear extensive alterations.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\n\tFrom experiment to practice\u00a0<\/strong>
\n\tUnder seismic loading, a significantly improved performance was demonstrated,\u00a0particularly at the joints. This successful scientific validation is now being translated into\u00a0practical application for existing buildings. The results offer hope: they show that realistic\u00a0and affordable ways exist to make older buildings more resilient \u2013 and thus significantly\u00a0reduce the number of casualties in the event of an earthquake.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\n\tMr. Mayank Kalra, Managing Director, fischer India<\/strong>, says,\u00a0\u201cIndia has a vast building\u00a0stock, including structures that were constructed before today\u2019s seismic design\u00a0standards were introduced. This research is particularly relevant for India, given the\u00a0country\u2019s vulnerability to earthquakes across several regions. Retrofitting existing\u00a0buildings at critical structural points can offer a practical and more sustainable\u00a0alternative to demolition and reconstruction, helping improve resilience while\u00a0minimising disruption to occupants. At fischer, we see this research as an important\u00a0step towards bringing scientifically validated retrofitting solutions closer to real world application in India, with the potential to strengthen existing structures,\u00a0protect lives and contribute to safer, more resilient communities<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\n\tfischer Building Materials India Private Limited\u00a0<\/strong>
\n\tWard No. 76, Unit 101, First Level, No. 3 (Old 4 Prestige Sigma, Vittal Mallya Rd, Richmond\u00a0Town, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A research project carried out by the fischer Group of Companies in collaboration with\u00a0Purdue University (USA) has shown that existing buildings can be made significantly more\u00a0resistant to seismic forces through…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3913,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2662],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3912","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-corporate-updates"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/srkanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3912","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/srkanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/srkanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srkanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srkanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3912"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/srkanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3912\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srkanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3913"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/srkanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3912"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srkanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3912"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srkanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3912"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}