We have carried out another fieldwork at Bela, this time with students from CEPT University, as part of their winter school, and with members of the team from the University of Nottingham, GIDM, CHC CRDF and the Hunnarshala Foundation. On the first day, we carried out a reconnaissance walk of the village, visiting the structures that were documented in phase 1 of this project, in which the students developed repair and re-construction proposals and had a lecture about post-earthquake damage, assessment and possible repair techniques.
On the second day, we visited building 4, the bird feeder, where repair strategies were demonstrated. It was explained how to recognise damage in the structures of the village using this case as an example, and supporting the students’ visits to their sites for visual damage assessments.
The students also contributed with some hands-on work on repairing that structure, like removing roof tiles, the interior plaster to properly assess the cracks identified, and constructing a gabion sitting at the entrance, using the same mesh that will be used to support the corner of the buildings and filled with stones to clear the site. This building was in the process of intervention as an example of strategies that can inform the reinforcement needed in other buildings to make them resilient to future earthquakes.
The 1:100 plan of Bela was assembled by the students, to further understand the morphology of the village.
The on-site work also served to strengthen the links with the local authorities and representatives of the community.
3D for Heritage India 