Challenges in Adhering to Earthquake Design Regulations: Consultant Perspective

Abstract

Malaysia is surrounded by earthquake-prone countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines. Throughout the years, earthquakes have caused disasters to our land. Two major earthquake-related events in Malaysia are the 5.9 magnitude earthquake in Ranau and the tsunami that struck Perlis, Kedah, Penang, and Perak due to the 8.9 magnitude earthquake in Acheh. These incidents had caused numbers of casualties and millions in property losses. This study aims to determine the challenges and solutions in adhering to earthquake design regulations from consultants’ perspectives. The data is collected from consultants through open-ended interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The study findings suggest that the challenges in adhering to earthquake design regulations are increased cost to projects, the reluctance of key personnel to the regulation, and enforcement. On the other hand, the potential solutions for these challenges are reviewing the current earthquake design regulation, mandating the regulation, and increasing the exposure of the regulation. Local authorities can use these findings to foresee the challenges and solutions to improve the implementation of earthquake design regulations in Malaysia.