Reconnaissance Report on Geotechnical Engineering Aspect of the 2015 Gorkha,Nepal, Earthquake

An earthquake of moment magnitude M_w 7.8 struck Nepal at 06:11 UTC on April 25, 2015. Field reconnaissance focused on the geotechnical engineering aspect of the earthquake was carried out in the Kathmandu Valley and regions near the epicenter. This paper presents briefly the geology of Nepal, the accelerogram, and results of standard penetration tests at selected sites in the valley. The study shows the failure case histories including landslides, road embankment settlement, bridge foundations and abutment damage, and liquefaction. The paper also highlights the impact of local soil properties and basin and ridge effect on the severity of damage.