Bridging the Safety Gap: Earthquake Desks to Protect Children in Vulnerable Schools in Nepal

Abstract

The Earthquake Desk is a specially engineered classroom desk designed to protect schoolchildren from falling debris by providing a safety zone underneath for taking shelter during earthquakes. Unlike conventional school furniture, Earthquake Desks are built to withstand heavy loads that may fall during building damage or collapse. Initially developed in Israel, the design has since been refined and adapted for local manufacturing in Nepal, prioritizing impact absorption, affordability, and functionality in typical school environments.
Nepal-built Earthquake Desks were assessed through a series of structural evaluation tests including compression loading, shock-table simulations, and live drop demonstrations. Results show the Desks can resist at least 98 kN (22,000 lb) of compressive force while maintaining the safety zone. Dynamic, shock-table testing of full-scale stone walls and slate roof collapsing onto the Desks produced only cosmetic damage. Impressive Desk performance during live demonstrations of ~700 kg of rocks dropped onto a Desk from 3 m height generated stakeholder interest. Earthquake Desks are not a replacement for earthquake-resilient school buildings, but offer an immediate, low-cost, and scalable life-safety solution for students in vulnerable classrooms while long-term seismic risk-reduction efforts advance.