Date of Graduation
5-2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
Civil Engineering
Advisor/Mentor
Prinz, Gary
Committee Member/Reader
Hale, W. Micah
Committee Member/Second Reader
Fairey, Julian
Abstract
Natural disasters in developing regions often displace people from their homes, into temporary shelters. These temporary shelters often consist of single-story pre-assembled tents designed to provide short-term aid for individual families. Unfortunately, single-story temporary shelters are not sufficient for accommodating large displaced populations in urban settings due to issues of land overcrowding and disruption to utilities providing water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services (along with many other issues).
This study investigates the feasibility of implementing a multi-story steel structure, constructed with multi-use structural members and special end connectors, into future relief efforts. A multi-use structural member is an element whose original use is something other than being a structural member, but can be modified under certain circumstances, such as natural disasters, to create shelters for a displaced population.
The paper starts by describing the search for multi-use structural member within existing manufacturing supply chains in developing countries. Next, a description of the special end connection prototyping and experimental testing is provided. The results from the connection tests are then used in a multi-story structural system design and the construction of a prototype structure is discussed. Lastly, conclusions are made regarding the performance of the prototype structural components and design, along with a discussion on potential avenues for future work.
Citation
Maestri, C. (2016). Towards a Fast Reconstruction Paradigm for Urban Environments in Developing Regions Affected by Natural Disasters. Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/cveguht/32
