Seismic Performance Evaluation of Low-Rise Reinforced Concrete Framed Buildings with Ready-to-Use Guidelines (RUD-NBC 205:2024) in Nepal

Earthquakes remain among the most destructive natural hazards, causing severe loss of life and property in seismically active regions such as Nepal. Major events such as the 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake (Mw 8.2), the 2015 Gorkha earthquake (Mw 7.8), and the 2023 Jajarkot earthquake (ML 6.4) have repeatedly exposed the vulnerability of Nepal’s built environment. In response, the Ready-to-Use Detailing (RUD) guideline (NBC 205:2024) was introduced to provide standardized structural detailing for low-rise reinforced concrete buildings without masonry infill, particularly for use in areas where access to professional engineering services is limited. This study was motivated by the need to critically assess the structural performance of buildings designed according to such rule-of-thumb detailing, which is widely applied through owner–builder practices. Nonlinear pushover analyses were carried out using finite element modelling for typical configurations on soil types C and D, under peak ground accelerations of 0.25 g, 0.30 g, 0.35 g, and 0.40 g. The response spectrum from NBC 105:2020 was adopted to determine performance points. The analysis focused on global response, capacity curves, storey drift, and hinge formation to evaluate structural resilience. The maximum story drift for the linear static analysis is found to be 0.56% and 0.86% for peak ground acceleration of 0.40 g, for both three and four-storied buildings. Also, from non-linear static analysis, it is found that almost all hinges formed in the beams and columns are in the Immediate Occupancy (IO) level. The findings suggest that the RUD guidelines are capable of providing adequate seismic performance for low-rise reinforced concrete buildings, given that the recommended material quality and construction standards are satisfied.