How to Keep Coastal Cities Safe?

20 years ago, we realized that Sri Lanka’s coastal regions are highly prone to natural disasters, highlighting the need for resilient construction. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami devastated the island’s shores, claiming about 35,399 Sri Lankan lives (Sri Lanka train memorial honors tsunami tragedy) and destroying over 80,000 homes. 

More frequent events like flooding also wreak havoc; for instance, in November 2024, eight people died, including four in the Eastern province, nine were injured, four were missing, and five were rescued, according to media reports. More than 276,000 people were displaced across 165 relief centres. In addition, more than 600 houses were destroyed. 

Approximately 33% of Sri Lanka’s population lives in coastal areas along a coastline of about 1,340 km, making coastal communities particularly vulnerable. These trends are exacerbated by climate change,  rising sea levels, intensifying storms, and heavier rainfall are increasing the frequency and severity of coastal disasters.

Such risks highlight an increasing need for disaster-resilient construction in coastal cities. 

It is of prime importance to focus on reducing the damages to lives by ensuring enhanced planning, siting, design and construction of houses in Sri Lanka that are more resilient to natural hazards. 

Construction companies and architects play a pivotal role

Architects in Sri Lanka must incorporate climate resilience into new developments and infrastructure. As Harvard resilience expert John D. Macomber notes, governments and businesses need to “incorporate climate resilience as they develop and finance real estate and infrastructure” to address flooding, sea-level rise, and extreme weather (Podcast – Business & Environment – Harvard Business School). 

This means going beyond business-as-usual building practices to ensure structures can withstand and quickly recover from disasters.

Integrating smart city technology is also key for disaster mitigation. 

Modern coastal cities leverage digital tools, networks of IoT sensors, data analytics, and automation, to enhance preparedness. Smart sensors can provide early warnings of rising water or structural strain, enabling proactive evacuation and response. 

Advanced building management systems (BMS) can automatically trigger emergency protocols, while real-time data feeds help authorities coordinate during crises. Overall, a holistic approach fusing engineering resilience and smart technology can significantly reduce disaster impacts on coastal urban centers.

The Evolving Landscape of Coastal Construction in Sri Lanka

Historical context

Traditionally, construction in Sri Lanka’s coastal areas was relatively informal and low-rise. Many homes were simple masonry or timber structures built by local craftsmen without engineered designs.

Prior to the 2000s, building codes were often based on legacy standards, and enforcement was lax, especially in rural coastal villages. Coastal development largely expanded organically, for example, tourist hotels and fisheries infrastructure grew along shorelines, but often without specific adaptations for hazards.

This left many structures ill-prepared for extreme events. The catastrophic 2004 tsunami was a turning point that revealed how inadequate traditional construction practices were against such forces.

Post-tsunami assessments showed entire coastal towns flattened where buildings were not engineered for tsunami loads. This tragedy galvanized a shift toward modern, resilience-focused construction in coastal Sri Lanka.

Impact of climate change

Today, climate change is further transforming the coastal construction landscape. Sri Lanka’s coasts face threats from multiple natural hazards – floods, cyclones, coastal erosion, and droughts are among the most frequent events (Sri Lanka – Vulnerability | Climate Change Knowledge Portal), and their intensity is increasing.

Sea levels around Sri Lanka have been rising, contributing to higher storm surges and saltwater intrusion. Climate models project that by 2030, roughly half the world’s population will live near coastlines, exposing more assets to risk (Enhancing coastal cities’ flood resilience through smart city technologies).

In Sri Lanka, heavier rainfall events have already caused frequent urban flash floods in the low-lying neighborhoods of Colombo and Galle (Reducing Colombo’s Flood Risk | GFDRR).

Extreme winds from occasional cyclones (though Sri Lanka is just outside major cyclone belts) still pose a serious risk, particularly in the northern and eastern coasts.

This changing climate reality means coastal construction must adapt to compound hazards – not just one-off events but potentially simultaneous flooding, storm surge, and extreme wind (Enhancing coastal cities’ flood resilience through smart city technologies).

Planners now factor in higher sea-level rise projections and use climate data to inform building elevations and drainage infrastructure.

Common natural disasters

Sri Lanka’s coastal belt has endured a range of disasters. The most iconic was the tsunami of December 2004, the worst natural disaster in the country’s history.

Entire coastal communities were wiped out; in some districts like Ampara and Hambantota, virtually every structure within hundreds of meters of the shore was obliterated. 

Apart from tsunamis, coastal flooding is a recurrent menace. Seasonal monsoons regularly inundate western and southern provinces; Colombo, a coastal city, has suffered major floods repeatedly (notably in 2010 and 2016–2017) (Reducing Colombo’s Flood Risk | GFDRR).

Tropical cyclones are less frequent but not unknown, historically, cyclones in 1922, 1964, and 1978 struck Sri Lanka’s eastern coast, each causing severe damage.

A 1978 cyclone affected over 1 million people, flattening thousands of homes and decimating coastal plantations in the Batticaloa region.

Additionally, coastal erosion is an ongoing slow disaster: about 50–55% of Sri Lanka’s shoreline is estimated to be eroding or at risk.

This chronic erosion undermines buildings and roads near the beach, especially with sand mining and loss of coral reefs contributing to shoreline retreat.

In summary, tsunamis, storm surges, river floods, high winds, and erosion collectively shape the risk profile for coastal construction.

Transition from traditional to modern approaches

Over the past two decades, there has been a clear transition in Sri Lanka from conventional construction toward more resilient, modern approaches in coastal areas. 

After 2004, massive reconstruction programs (“build back better”) were launched with international support. Agencies introduced hazard-resistant designs for houses, for example, elevated plinths, reinforced concrete frames, and breakaway walls in tsunami rebuilding projects.

Traditional mud and brick homes were often replaced by engineered masonry houses with concrete pillars. The government, through bodies like the NBRO (National Building Research Organisation), began issuing manuals and guidelines for disaster-resistant construction. Over time, building codes started incorporating lessons from these disasters (though a comprehensive dedicated coastal building code is still in development, as discussed later).

Alongside housing, critical infrastructure like bridges, ports, and wastewater systems in coastal cities have been upgraded with modern engineering. 

For example, the Colombo South Harbor expansion and Colombo Port City project employed advanced coastal engineering – including extensive 3D wave modeling and a 5.3 km-long breakwater to ensure the new waterfront development can withstand 1-in-100 year storm events. 

Such use of simulations and physical model testing for waves was unheard of in Sri Lanka’s past construction, marking a leap in technical sophistication.

Urban planning in cities like Colombo is also evolving to integrate resilience: large-scale drainage improvements and wetland conservation are being implemented to mitigate floods as the city expands.

This signifies a shift from reactive measures to proactive risk reduction in the urban coastal landscape.

Coastal urban growth

Sri Lanka’s coastal cities have experienced significant growth, especially after the civil conflict ended in 2009. Urbanization has been rapid in areas like the Colombo metropolitan region and secondary cities such as Galle and Trincomalee. Colombo’s population (over 5.6 million in the metro area) continues to grow, and major new developments hug the coastline (Reducing Colombo’s Flood Risk | GFDRR). 

A striking example is Colombo Port City, a new 269-hectare artificial island reclaimed from the sea. This project, completed in 2020, added over 5 million square meters of planned urban real estate along Colombo’s shore. 

While promising economic benefits, such projects also concentrate assets in high-exposure zones, making resilience a non-negotiable priority.

Statistics show that about half of Sri Lanka’s urban population and 80% of its industrial economy are located in coastal cities, indicating that any failure to build resiliently could have outsized impacts on the country’s development. 

In response, there’s growing awareness and policy focus on sustainable coastal development, balancing growth with protective measures.

In summary, Sri Lanka’s coastal construction landscape is in flux: rapid urban growth and climate change are raising the stakes, but at the same time, there is progress in adopting modern, resilient construction techniques to safeguard these burgeoning smart cities by the sea.

Advanced Structural Engineering Techniques

Engineering innovation provides numerous techniques to make coastal structures more robust against disasters. In Sri Lanka’s context, several advanced structural engineering methods are being or could be adopted to protect buildings from earthquakes, winds, floods, and other extreme forces:

Base isolation for seismic protection

Although Sri Lanka is not in a high seismic zone, earthquakes can still occur (and tsunamis are triggered by distant quakes). Base isolation is a technique where a building is essentially mounted on flexible bearings or pads that isolate it from ground movement. If an earthquake strikes, the isolators absorb and deflect the ground shaking, so the structure itself feels significantly less force. 

This method has proven extremely effective in reducing earthquake damage in buildings worldwide, it can cut the seismic forces reaching the building by as much as 3-4 times. 

In a coastal city, base isolation could be particularly useful for critical facilities like hospitals or emergency centers that must remain operational after a quake or tsunami. 

By installing lead-rubber bearings or sliding pendulum isolators under the foundation, engineers ensure the building “swings” gently while the ground shakes violently, preventing catastrophic structural failure. While not yet common in Sri Lanka, incorporating base isolation in future high-value projects (such as Port City Colombo’s high-rises or important bridges) would greatly enhance resilience. 

It’s a clear example of how engineering know-how can virtually eliminate a risk – an isolated building might be the only one standing intact in an otherwise devastated area after a strong tremor.

Dynamic damping and energy dissipation

Another advanced strategy is using damping devices to absorb energy from wind or seismic forces. Tuned Mass Dampers (TMDs) are one such device – famously, Taipei 101 tower uses a huge pendulum TMD to reduce swaying. These consist of a heavy mass (often a concrete or steel weight) suspended within the structure and tuned to oscillate out of phase with the building’s motion, thus cancelling out vibrations. 

Properly designed dampers can achieve a “substantial 30–60% reduction in structural vibrations” during windstorms or quakes ([EPUB] Performance-based Seismic Design of a Pendulum Tuned Mass …). 

For coastal high-rise buildings in Colombo or Colombo Port City, installing tuned mass dampers near the roof can dramatically improve occupant comfort during monsoon winds and also add a safety margin in extreme cyclonic gusts.

Besides passive TMDs, engineers use fluid viscous dampers (like giant shock absorbers in walls) or friction dampers that dissipate kinetic energy as heat when a building moves. 

Base dampers can also be used to cushion foundation impacts. In Sri Lanka’s cyclone-prone areas, newer telecommunication towers and tall chimneys are being fitted with damping systems to avoid collapse. 

By increasing the damping of a structure (i.e. its ability to dissipate motion), these technologies prevent resonance and uncontrolled swaying. Essentially, the building becomes less “stiff” and brittle and more able to ride out the forces by bleeding them off harmlessly. 

Dynamic damping technologies, while high-tech, are increasingly affordable and can be retrofitted to some existing structures as well – making them a versatile tool for resilience.

Innovations in reinforced concrete (RC) for coastal environments

Reinforced concrete is the most common structural material, but traditional RC has vulnerabilities in coastal settings (chiefly corrosion of steel reinforcement). Advanced techniques and materials are addressing this. 

One innovation is the use of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) rebars instead of steel rebars. FRP bars made of glass or carbon fibers do not rust at all, providing a “corrosion resistant alternative to steel” in coastal construction ((PDF) Coir Fiber Reinforced Polymer Reinforcing Bars for Concrete …). 

They also are lighter and non-conductive. By using GFRP (glass FRP) bars in concrete elements exposed to seawater – for example, in a sea wall or the ground floor columns of a coastal building – the longevity of the structure increases significantly. 

Another approach is cathodic protection systems where a small electric current counteracts corrosion in steel rebars; this is used in some marine structures and could be applied to bridges or port structures in Sri Lanka. 

On the concrete side, high-performance concrete mixes are being used: These incorporate supplementary cementitious materials (like fly ash, slag, or volcanic ash) and chemical admixtures to produce concrete that is denser, less permeable, and more resistant to salt attack. Researchers at Stanford have even worked on novel concrete that mimics the self-cementing of volcanic rock to create a more durable matrix (Reinventing concrete – Stanford Report). 

For coastal foundations, microfine mineral additives can help the concrete resist sulfate in soil and brackish water. 

Moreover, confined masonry techniques (essentially RC frames around masonry) have been identified as particularly suitable for tsunami-resistant housing in Sri Lanka. They combine the strength of reinforced concrete with the redundancy of masonry infill, while avoiding a full steel frame which might corrode in the sea air. 

In summary, by upgrading the standard reinforced concrete recipe and components, engineers are greatly improving the ability of coastal structures to endure aggressive conditions and extreme loads without premature failure.

Wind-resistant and cyclone-proof design

Coastal buildings must contend with high winds, from monsoonal gales to the rarer cyclones. Traditional roofs and windows often cannot handle wind forces, so modern designs incorporate aerodynamic and hardened features. 

A key technique is designing roof structures that are wind-resistant – this includes hip roofs (four-sided roofs) instead of gable ends, which have been shown to perform better, and using robust connections like hurricane clips/straps to tie the roof trusses firmly to walls. 

After observing that roof uplift caused most housing damage in past storms (), Sri Lankan building guidelines now emphasize proper anchorage: e.g., J-bolts or metal straps embedded in the ring beam to secure roof rafters. 

Additionally, impact-resistant glass and shutters are used to prevent window failure from flying debris. Buildings may have fewer overhangs or appendages that can catch the wind. Structural frames are designed with more redundancy to take lateral wind loads – shear walls or braced frames are built into the architecture. 

Tall buildings undergo wind tunnel testing or computational fluid dynamics simulation to refine their shape so as to “streamline” airflow and avoid eddies that could cause force concentrations. The Lotus Tower in Colombo, for instance, was designed to endure gusts by its tapered form and a strong core structure. 

Another important aspect is ensuring that cladding and facade elements are securely fastened; past wind events have shown that even if the main structure survives, the façade can peel off if not designed for suction pressures. 

In industrial facilities along the coast, like warehouses, engineers are introducing portal frames with knee braces and purlin ties to keep the entire shell intact under cyclone winds. Overall, wind engineering is becoming a standard part of coastal construction practice – from small details like roof nail patterns to large-scale form factor of skyscrapers, everything is optimized to reduce wind stress. 

With these techniques, buildings can withstand wind speeds far beyond those that would have devastated older structures, thereby protecting lives and property during fierce storms.

Flood- and surge-resistant foundation systems

To tackle the challenges of flooding and wave forces, advanced foundation and site design strategies are employed. One effective approach is elevating structures on stilts or piers. By raising the inhabited floors above the expected inundation level (for example, on reinforced concrete columns or piles), buildings can allow flood water or tsunami waves to flow beneath them, significantly reducing the forces on the structure. 

The open ground story (often used for parking or left as a sacrificial floor) prevents water from hitting a solid wall head-on, thus avoiding the full brunt of hydrodynamic pressure. Designs might include “breakaway” walls or cladding in the ground level that are intended to fail in a controlled way under wave impact, thereby sparing the main structure. For instance, some post-tsunami reconstructions in Sri Lanka incorporated perforated ground floors or sturdy columns with no masonry infill in coastal houses, if a wave comes, only minimal damage occurs and the upper living space stays intact. 

In addition, deep pile foundations are used in soft coastal soils to anchor buildings to stable strata. These piles are driven well below potential scour depth, so even if surface sand is eroded around the building, the foundation remains secure. Engineers also design the site around the building for resilience: creating embankments or berms to divert wave energy, and aprons or slope protection to prevent soil from being washed away at the base of foundations. 

For example, a concrete apron or riprap rock bedding around a building can mitigate erosion of soil during flash floods. Moreover, foundation concrete in coastal zones often has extra cover thickness over rebar (to protect steel from corrosion and impact) and may include hooks or anchors for additional pull-out resistance. In areas prone to liquefaction or subsidence, ground improvement techniques like vibro-compaction or stone columns are applied before construction to densify the soil; this was done in parts of Colombo Port City to ensure the reclaimed sand can support heavy structures even during seismic shaking. 

All these foundation innovations ensure that buildings remain literally on solid footing during disasters, preventing the common mode of failure where structures tilt, sink, or get swept away from the bottom. By combining elevated design, deep anchorage, and erosion control, modern coastal foundations can ride out floods and surges that would have toppled traditional buildings.

These advanced structural techniques collectively transform how coastal structures perform under stress. They shift the design philosophy from merely resisting loads to intelligently dissipating and diverting them. Importantly, many of these can be combined; for instance, a building could have base isolation for quakes, a tuned damper for wind, and stilts for flood, all in one. Incorporating such measures does add upfront cost, but greatly reduces the risk of catastrophic loss. 

As one engineer quipped, “We design buildings not to never crack, but to crack in the right way”, meaning modern resilience is about controlled performance. By using isolators, dampers, special materials, aerodynamic forms, and elevated foundations, Sri Lanka’s coastal construction is moving toward designs that behave predictably and safely even when nature tests them to the limit. The result will be structures that not only stand longer, but also bounce back faster, ensuring continuity of communities and services after a disaster.

Sustainable and Resilient Building Materials

Materials are the building blocks of resilience. Selecting appropriate building materials, especially in the corrosive, wet, and windy coastal environment, can significantly enhance a structure’s disaster resistance and longevity. In Sri Lanka’s coastal construction, there is a growing emphasis on using sustainable and resilient materials that can withstand hazards and reduce environmental impact. Key trends include:

Corrosion-resistant materials

Given the high salinity and humidity of coastal air, using materials that do not deteriorate rapidly is crucial. Traditional carbon steel reinforcement bars, for example, are prone to rust in seaside structures, leading to weakened concrete. To combat this, builders are turning to alternatives like stainless steel rebar or epoxy-coated rebar in critical elements. More promisingly, FRP (Fiber-Reinforced Polymer) rebars made of glass or carbon fiber are being adopted, as they are entirely immune to corrosion. Researchers highlight that “corrosion resistant alternatives to steel are FRP bars such as GFRP and CFRP”, which can dramatically improve durability in coastal concrete.

Likewise, using galvanized steel or aluminum for roof trusses and connectors extends their life in the salt air. Many new coastal houses use galvanized roofing sheets instead of uncoated steel sheets for this reason. 

For external fixtures and fasteners (nuts, bolts, hinges), switching to stainless steel or brass prevents the kind of rust seizing that often compromises doors and windows during storms. 

By choosing inherently corrosion-proof materials, engineers ensure that structural strength is maintained over decades, reducing the need for frequent repairs and averting failures during disasters. 

This approach may have higher upfront material cost, but it pays off by avoiding the hidden cost of corrosion-related damage that can be catastrophic in a critical moment.

Locally sourced sustainable alternatives

There is a push to use local materials that are sustainable yet strong. This serves two purposes, reducing the environmental and economic cost of importing expensive materials, and also utilizing materials that may be better adapted to the local climate. 

One example is the use of coconut fiber (coir) as a construction material. Sri Lankan researchers have experimented with coir fiber-reinforced polymer composites as a replacement for synthetic fibers, creating reinforcing bars or panels that are eco-friendly and sufficiently strong. 

Similarly, earth-based construction traditions are being revisited with a resilient twist: stabilized earth blocks (made with local soil but mixed with a bit of cement or lime) can be an alternative to fired bricks, offering good compressive strength and better thermal performance.

These blocks, when used with proper reinforced framing, could form disaster-resilient yet low-carbon homes for coastal communities. 

Bamboo is another local material being explored, while not widely used in Sri Lanka’s modern construction yet, treated and seasoned bamboo can serve as reinforcement in certain applications or as elements of roofs and walls, given its high tensile strength and flexibility (advantageous in earthquakes). 

The key is to ensure these sustainable materials are used in an engineered way, not the ad-hoc methods of the past. By tapping into local resources like quarry sand, crushed rock (for concrete aggregates), coconut timber, coir, and clay, builders can reduce the carbon footprint of construction and also empower local industries.

As long as these materials are properly processed (e.g. anti-termite treatment for timber, interlocking for stabilized mud blocks), they can contribute to a circular, low-carbon construction economy that still meets resilience standards.

Innovative composite materials with enhanced durability

Beyond traditional materials, cutting-edge composites are making their way into construction. Engineered wood products like CLT (cross-laminated timber) and glulam, for instance, offer high strength-to-weight ratios and perform well in earthquakes due to their ductility.

In a coastal setting, if protected from moisture, they could provide a sustainable structural option with some inherent resilience (wood structures bend rather than break under moderate loads). 

Additionally, polymer-based composites, such as fiber-cement siding boards, vinyl or composite window frames, and polymer roofing shingles, are being used because they resist rot, corrosion, and insect damage far better than the materials they replace.

A notable development is the use of geopolymers or “green concrete.” This is concrete made with industrial byproducts (like fly ash or slag) activating binding reactions instead of traditional Portland cement. Geopolymer concrete can be designed to be extremely resistant to chemical attack and heat, which is useful for coastal structures facing both saltwater and the possibility of fires. 

Some studies have also looked at self-healing concrete (as mentioned earlier); these materials, embedded with special agents, can automatically seal cracks that form, thus extending the life of a structure and keeping water out of critical sections.

The advantages of such advanced materials are multifold: they can reduce maintenance needs, adapt to stress, and often are lighter (reducing overall loads on the structure).

The Sri Lankan construction industry, with input from university research, is evaluating many of these new materials for local use.

Already, trial projects using bacterial self-healing concrete have demonstrated its benefits – it is “eco-friendly, cost-effective, and enhances strength and durability” of the construction. 

As these composites prove themselves, we can expect more widespread adoption, meaning tomorrow’s coastal buildings might be built from composites that combine the best properties of multiple constituents (for example, a sandwich panel with a lightweight core and strong skins) to achieve resilience that single materials could not.

Cost-benefit of traditional vs. resilient materials

One of the challenges in promoting resilient construction is the perception of higher cost. Indeed, materials like stainless steel, FRP, or engineered wood come at a premium compared to conventional options. 

However, a long-term cost-benefit analysis often favors resilient materials. The upfront investment can be justified by vastly reduced repair and replacement costs after disasters, as well as longer service life. 

There is evidence that incorporating even minor upgrades yields significant benefits: many homeowners are unaware that “the level of safety in houses could be enhanced at a small additional cost with very simple modifications.” 

In other words, spending perhaps 5 – 15% more on better materials and detailing can save the entire building from collapse. 

For example, upgrading to corrosion-proof rebars might increase construction cost slightly, but prevents costly structural rehab down the line.

Likewise, using treated timber or concrete additives might add expense, but avoid the scenario where a house becomes uninhabitable after a flood due to mold and rot. 

From a macro perspective, resilient materials reduce the burden on disaster recovery funds and insurance. The return on investment (ROI) can be high: studies in other regions have shown that each dollar spent on hazard-resistant construction can save multiple dollars in avoided damage.

Sri Lanka’s authorities are making this case to developers and the public. The Harvard Business Review notes that private developers and governments must consider not just “how expensive” a material or solution is, but “why this is good for citizens” in the long run (Smart Cities are Complicated and Costly: Here’s How to Build Them | Working Knowledge) reinforcing that resilience measures add real value. 

Furthermore, as demand grows and technology matures, the cost of resilient materials is gradually coming down.

What was once exotic (like FRP rebar or smart concrete) is becoming more common and thus cheaper. Innovative financing mechanisms, such as resilience bonds or green loans, are also being introduced to offset initial costs for builders who choose sustainable, resilient materials (Innovations in Climate Resilient Coastal Zones – Overview (The Caribbean) | The Natural Capital Project) (Innovations in Climate Resilient Coastal Zones – Overview (The Caribbean) | The Natural Capital Project). 

All things considered, while resilient materials may appear costlier upfront, they are cost-beneficial over the lifecycle of the structure, especially in hazard-prone coastal zones.

The challenge is primarily one of awareness and policy incentives – and those are being addressed through education and updated building guidelines.

In conclusion, the palette of construction materials is expanding to include options that significantly boost resilience in coastal smart cities.

By using materials that do not easily corrode, decay, or buckle, and by innovating with composites that can even repair themselves or better absorb forces, builders can create structures that are inherently tougher.

This material-level strength complements the structural techniques discussed earlier. It is the combination of the right materials and the right design that yields truly disaster-resilient construction.

Sri Lanka’s construction sector, supported by research from local universities and international partners, is progressively embracing this mindset, moving away from the cheapest short-term choices toward smarter material selections that safeguard both the building and its inhabitants over the long haul.

Regulatory Framework and Building Codes

Ensuring disaster resilience in construction is not just about individual choices by builders or designers, it also requires a strong regulatory framework and enforcement of building standards. In Sri Lanka, the regulatory environment for coastal construction is evolving, with growing recognition that codes and policies must address the unique challenges of coastal hazards.

Current building regulations for coastal areas: Historically, Sri Lanka did not have a dedicated, unified building code that explicitly accounted for multi-hazard resilience.

The country largely followed British Standards (from colonial legacy) or Eurocodes and various local bylaws, which were sometimes outdated or inconsistently applied.

Coastal construction was often governed by setback rules (e.g., no-build buffer zones along the shore) and environmental regulations, especially after the 2004 tsunami when a strict coastal buffer zone was temporarily enforced.

However, structural requirements for wind, flood, or tsunami loads were not comprehensively integrated into law. That is changing. The government has realized that “rapid urban development with weak quality control” has led to unsafe buildings and even spontaneous collapses (Building Regulations for Resilience in Sri Lanka & The Maldives | GFDRR), prompting reform.

Since 2016–2019, Sri Lanka has been working on developing a national building code, with special attention to disaster resilience.

In July 2019, a Building Regulatory Capacity Assessment (BRCA) was conducted with support from the World Bank and experts from University College London and University of Moratuwa (Building Regulations for Resilience in Sri Lanka & The Maldives | GFDRR).

This process aimed to evaluate existing regulations and recommend improvements. One outcome is the Government’s new initiative to formulate a comprehensive Sri Lankan building code, something not previously in place, which will incorporate modern structural design standards (likely based on Eurocode) and hazard-specific guidelines (Building Regulations for Resilience in Sri Lanka & The Maldives | GFDRR).

Coastal zones are a priority in this code development, given their vulnerability.

Meanwhile, certain regulations are already enforced: for instance, the Urban Development Authority (UDA) has planning regulations that require minimum floor levels in flood-prone areas of Colombo, and the Coast Conservation Department mandates specific foundation designs in erosion-prone sites.

Moreover, critical infrastructure (like power plants or ports) have their own stringent design standards. Thus, while a holistic coastal building code is in progress, sectoral and local regulations do exist, albeit in patchwork form.

The trend is toward unifying these into a clear set of rules that all builders must follow to ensure a baseline of resilience.

Gaps in existing codes and enforcement

One of the biggest gaps historically has been enforcement. Even when regulations or guidelines exist on paper, compliance has been uneven.

The NBRO has observed “inadequacies in enforcement of building and safety regulations” and reluctance by some builders to follow the proper permitting process.

In coastal regions especially, many structures were built informally without approvals, meaning they bypassed any code requirements. This is gradually improving as awareness rises and local authorities strengthen permit oversight.

However, enforcement capacity (number of inspectors, technical know-how at municipal councils, etc.) needs further bolstering. Another gap is that certain hazards are not fully addressed in the current codes.

For example, while wind loading is covered (Sri Lanka’s code uses wind speeds based on historical data), the rare case of tsunamis is not explicitly in building design standards yet.

There is also a need to incorporate climate change projections, current flood maps might underestimate future risk, so codes must be forward-looking (e.g., requiring an extra freeboard height for sea level rise).

Building usage and maintenance are areas not covered by new construction codes but critical to resilience: an older building might conform to the code of its time but now be deficient; retrofitting standards for such cases are still being formulated.

The government recognizes these gaps. Initiatives like the National Disaster Management Plan call for developing “affordable technology in disaster resilient housing construction” and updating land-use planning for vulnerable zones ([PDF] Sri Lanka: National policy on disaster management – PreventionWeb).

In essence, Sri Lanka is in a transitional phase where it is identifying and plugging the holes in its regulatory framework. The period after the tsunami saw a flurry of guidelines (for tsunamis, floods, cyclone wind, landslides, etc.), but integrating those into enforceable codes nationwide has taken time. By addressing these gaps, be it through new laws, better enforcement mechanisms, or training of professionals, the aim is to ensure that no new unsafe buildings are built in coastal areas.

Adoption of international best practices

In reforming its building regulations, Sri Lanka is looking to international examples and best practices. The involvement of organizations like the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and collaborations with foreign universities indicate a knowledge transfer. The draft building code is expected to reference established standards like the Eurocode 8 (for seismic) and AS/NZS standards (for wind loads in cyclonic regions), adapted to local context. 

For instance, certain coastal design guidelines may draw from practices in Japan or the US for tsunami-resistant construction (like those in FEMA manuals). Already, some best practices have been locally adopted via guidelines: the Sri Lankan Urban Multi-hazard Disaster Mitigation Project in early 2000s produced a manual on cyclone-resistant construction, which recommended specific roof geometries, connection details, and bracing methods

These recommendations mirror practices from cyclone-prone regions like Florida or the Caribbean. Similarly, after the tsunami, engineers in Sri Lanka studied Japanese and Hawaiian coastal construction, leading to recommendations such as soft ground-floor designs and strong column detailing.

Now, with formal code development, these will likely become codified requirements. Another area of best practice is risk zoning, identifying high-risk areas (e.g., within the first 100m of the coast, or low-lying landfill sites) and specifying extra measures or restrictions there. 

Internationally, it’s common to mandate higher safety factors or even prohibit certain building types in such zones. Sri Lanka’s coastal risk maps are being updated to inform such zoning in the new regulations (Building Regulations for Resilience in Sri Lanka & The Maldives | GFDRR). The process also includes setting up a framework for regular code updates – best practice is to update building codes every 5 years or so as knowledge evolves, and Sri Lanka is moving towards that dynamic model rather than having static, decades-old standards.

All told, by adopting global best practices and tailoring them to local needs, Sri Lanka’s regulatory regime is becoming more robust. 

This means future buildings in Colombo, Galle, Jaffna and other coastal cities will be designed and built to a much higher safety benchmark, comparable to those in other hazard-prone countries.

Certification and compliance processes: With new standards in place, ensuring compliance will be key. The country is strengthening its certification processes for disaster-resilient construction. 

The Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA) in Sri Lanka is working on accrediting professionals (architects, engineers) in disaster resilience skills and possibly certifying building designs that meet resilience criteria. 

There is talk of introducing a “resilience rating” or certification for buildings, somewhat analogous to green building ratings, that would incentivize developers to exceed the minimum code. In the meantime, NBRO has been conducting training and certification for masons and contractors on safe construction practices. 

This is crucial because even the best code is only as good as the quality of work on the ground. 

By certifying local builders in techniques like proper rebar placement, cyclone-resistant roofing, etc., the likelihood of code compliance increases. Local authorities (pradeshiya sabha and municipal councils) are also being trained to check for the new code provisions in building plans before approval. 

We can expect more rigorous structural design vetting in permitting, for example, requiring a structural engineer’s endorsement that a coastal building can resist specified wind and wave loads. Another aspect is retrofit certification: as Sri Lanka retrofits older public buildings for resilience (e.g., schools being strengthened under the Climate Resilience Improvement Project), they document and certify these improvements, which might in future be required for occupancy certification. 

In summary, the regulatory framework is moving toward a lifecycle approach: setting standards at design, ensuring compliant construction, and maintaining oversight through a building’s use. 

The goal is a culture where building resiliently is not optional but mandatory and monitored. As the World Bank noted in supporting Sri Lanka, the country is embedding resilience in its building regulations “to strengthen the safety and resilience of the built environment” (Building Regulations for Resilience in Sri Lanka & The Maldives | GFDRR). 

When fully realized, this framework will significantly reduce the risk of disaster-induced building failures, creating safer coastal cities by design.

Conclusion

Sri Lanka must adopt advanced disaster-resilient construction techniques for coastal cities, combining structural engineering, technology, and urban planning. Key methods include,

• Elevating buildings on stilts to prevent flooding
• Using reinforced concrete, shear walls, and bracing against cyclones and earthquakes
• Implementing base isolators and dampers to absorb seismic forces
• Selecting durable, corrosion-resistant materials suitable for coastal environments
• Integrating IoT sensors and smart systems for real-time monitoring
• Planning urban layouts that incorporate natural defenses like wetlands and mangroves

The article emphasizes specialized knowledge is essential for coastal construction, as these areas face unique challenges like salt-laden winds and other risks. Moving forward, all stakeholders must prioritize resilience including governments should enforce updated building codes, urban planners must integrate disaster risk reduction from the start, and developers should recognize that resilient construction is economically prudent despite higher upfront costs. 

The role of skilled contractors and architects is highlighted as essential to properly implementing resilient designs. The vision is to transform Sri Lanka’s coastline from vulnerable settlements into resilient communities protected by well-built structures, advanced warning systems, and healthy ecosystems, requiring ongoing collaboration across disciplines and sectors.

Sources:

• Sri Lanka Climate Portal – vulnerability and hazard overview (Sri Lanka – Vulnerability | Climate Change Knowledge Portal)
• VOA News – 2004 tsunami impacts in Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka train memorial honors tsunami tragedy)
• Wikipedia (citing official sources) – 2017 flood damage statistics (2017 Sri Lanka floods – Wikipedia)
• ResearchGate summary – 33% population in coastal areas, 1,340 km coastline (Coastal Management Plans Research Articles – R Discovery)
• Phys.org – climate change increasing coastal flood risks; smart city tech for resilience (Enhancing coastal cities’ flood resilience through smart city technologies) (Enhancing coastal cities’ flood resilience through smart city technologies)
• NBRO Hazard Resilient Housing Manual – need for resilient construction; failures of traditional buildings
• Harvard Business School (John Macomber) – need for climate resilience in real estate (Podcast – Business & Environment – Harvard Business School)
• NBRO Manual – common failures: roof damage in cyclones, weak house types () ()
• NBRO Manual – socio-economic causes of unsafe building practices () ()

GFDRR/World Bank – Building code initiative and regulatory improvements (2019) (Building Regulations for Resilience in Sri Lanka & The Maldives | GFDRR) (Building Regulations for Resilience in Sri Lanka & The Maldives | GFDRR)