ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS THROUGH INTEGRATED TRAINING ON THE SUBSTRUCTURE OF EARTHQUAKE-RESISTANT HOUSES IN PANDEGLANG

Abstract

Pandeglang Regency is one of the earthquake-prone areas in Indonesia, dominated by soft soil deposits that make simple houses highly vulnerable to seismic damage. Most houses are constructed by local masons who rely solely on experience, with limited knowledge of earthquake-resistant construction, particularly in the substructure. This community service program aimed to enhance the competence of construction workers through integrated training covering five aspects: soil conditions, ground improvement, substructure elements, construction methods, and foundation implementation. The two-day training combined participatory approaches, visual instruction, and hands-on practice. Evaluation results demonstrated significant improvements: understanding of soil conditions and cone penetration tests increased from 33 to 76.7 (+132%); ground improvement from 28.3 to 81.7 (+189%); substructure knowledge from 24.7 to 81.7 (+231%); construction methods from 35 to 70 (+100%); and foundation implementation from 27 to 80 (+196%). Overall, post-test scores ranged from 70 to 82. The integrated training model proved effective in enhancing both technical knowledge and practical skills, and it holds potential for replication in other earthquake-prone regions as part of community-based disaster risk reduction initiatives.