Architectural and Structural Requirements on Building Permits to Reduce Earthquake Risk. The Case of Surabaya, Indonesia

The Indonesian Earthquake Centre has discovered two fault zones in Surabaya, causing a 6.5 magnitude earthquake in 2017. Since Indonesia lies in the ring of fire area, the national government has stipulated several earthquake-building regulations. However, with no history of significant earthquakes, Surabaya has no strict local building regulations to reduce the new risk. Previous studies indicate that simple buildings in Surabaya are the most vulnerable during any earthquake events. Simple buildings, as permanent and semi-permanent constructions, dominate in the category of residential buildings in Surabaya. Furthermore, vulnerable buildings are the primary cause of fatalities and injuries during earthquake events. Consequently, the revision of current local building regulations is the key milestone to reduce the earthquake risk in Surabaya. This paper evaluates current local and national building regulations by using content analysis of in-depth interviews and focus group discussion data, and then proposes adjustments to the local regulations to increasing the resilience degree of constructions in Surabaya. The modifications on current local regulations are mainly related to the shape of the building and the material used for façades and building safety analysis (load factor analysis and collapse scenarios).