Emergency Shelter System for Earthquake Victims

By Shirish AvraniAn Experiment during January 2001 Earthquake –Kutch, India

INTRODUCTION

The design of a temporary shelter for earthquake victims at Kutch hadbeen conceived keeping in view the social and behavioural aspects ofthe inhabitants.People do not prefer to stay in a mass housing camp but to have atemporary shelter closer to their own property.It was observed that, what is required to provide was a support systemin terms of locally available materials and technology. The material forshelter should be such that it can be recycled or reused, after theemergency is over. Technology used should be simple so that thepeople themselves can build the shelters. Moreover the shelter shouldbe designed such a way that it can be upgraded over a period of timebased on their needs.

Concept :

The temporary shelter - design criterions:

1. The material used should be easily available and popular in the region.

2. Re-usable / recyclable with multiple use of materials when dismantled.

3. Modular system for fast construction and allow sufficient flexibility in terms of design.

4. Possibility for incremental growth and upgrading the shelter.

5. Cost effective technology.

Proposed Blue Print- System Design :

It is observed that the use of GI pipes cots (Charpai) is very popularamong the workers and the rural inhabitants. Based on the casestudies and the requirement analysis an appropriate system designwith cots as a modular units is designed.

The size of the modular units is 6’-6” X 2’-9”. This is made out of 1” dia.A-grade GI pipes threaded with three way T- elbows. 13 Units arearranged to form a cubical. The units are fixed to the ground with thehelp of 12” long U- pins. The side of the units can be covered with (1) 6mm thick A C plain sheets (2) Bison Panels or (3) E-Board Plyplus.Door and window can be provided by fixing pivots / hinges to themodular unit. The roofing is done with the self-supported curvedcorrugated A.C. sheet joined by J-bolts with the modular units.

The attributes for proposed design

1. Cots are easy to manufacture and locally available.

2. The transportation of the units is easy and erection is simple.

3. Shelter can be easily erected by self help.

4. Flexibility in terms of reuse of modular units. As the units can be easily dismantled and can be reused as cots (Charpai) whenever desired.

5. The shelter can be stage- wise upgraded by the occupants to a permanent shelter by constructing walls and gradually removing the modular units without disturbing the structure and daily life of inhabitants.

It is observed that people prefer to have their temporary shelter in front of their own house. The use of Charpai is very common. People in rural area spent most of their time outdoors sitting on Charpai. The same Charpai is also used as covering surface for the temporary shelter made out of plastics.

Use of Charpai during Visit of Open Toilet in Rural Katchh

The Charpai (coat) is important household furniture. It is used for various purposes like sleeping at night and during day time it works as shading device to protect against sun.

Assembling of coats:Based on the case studies and requirement analysis an appropriate systemdesign with coats as modular units is designed and proposed.

The modular units ( Charpai) are light in weight and easily transportable even on ajeep.

Transportation of curved corrugated AC sheets.

Preparation of ground for shelter construction

PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTION

Fixing of Charpai with the ground with the help of 12 inch U-pins.

Detail showing fixing of two modular units with clamp .

Lifting of roofing units and fixing it with modular units with J-Bolts.

DEMONSTRATION SHELTER

Constructed at Earthquake Relief Centre run by Anand Niketan AshramSamakhiyali High School, Tal. : Bhachav.Kitchen corner can be treated with fire proof material like A.C. sheets, Bison panels or E-Board

DEMONSTRATION SHELTERConstructed at Earthquake Relief Centre run by : Sarvoday Ashram Amirgadh at Samakhiyali Tal.:Bhachav

DEMONSTRATION SHELTERConstructed at Kutchh Navnirman Abhiyan, National High way No.8 Nr. Shantidham, SamakhiyaliTal. : Bhachav

STEEL PIPE OF MODULE UNIT

THREADED BOLT

WALL PANELING(6mm TH. AC PLAIN SHEETS)

STEEL PIPE OF MODULE UNIT

A.C. CORRUGATED ROOFING SHEET FIXED WITH "J" BOLT

DETAIL - 1

DETAIL - 2

DETAIL - 4

DETAIL - 3

MODULER UNITMADE OUT OF 25mm Ø STEEL PIPE

BASIC SHELTERMADE OUT OF MULTIPLE MODULE

JOINT WITH "T" ELBOW

FIXEING OF MODULE UNIT WITH GROUND

CONNECTION OF TWO MODULE UNITS

FIXING WALL PANEL WITH MODULE UNIT

FIXING OF ROOFING WITH MODULE UNIT

1

4

23

BASIC MODULE

WALLPANELING

A.C. CORRUGATED ROOFING SHEET

STORAGE SHELF(8mm AC PLAIN SHEETS)

0.23 LONG ,12mm Ø IRON CLEMP FIXED WITH GROUND

FINISH GROUND

THREADED BOLT

STEEL PIPE OF MODULE UNIT

STUDY OF CYCLONE RELIEF SHELTER AND WORKERS HOUSING : SALT PAN AREA OF KANDLA

SHIRISH AVRANIGOVT. OF GUJARATRevenue Department 3.3.3 PROPOSED BLUEPRINT FOR

TEMPORARY SHELTER-SYSTEM DESIGN 21

EMERGENCY SHELTER DESIGN FOR EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS Kutchh, Gujarat 2001

ALTERNATIVE -1

ROOM KITCHEN

TOI.

ROOM ROOM

KITCHENTOI.

ALTERNATIVE -2

ALTERNATIVE -3

SINGLE ROOM UNIT SINGLE ROOM KITCHEN TOILET

SINGLE ROOM KITCHEN TOILET

PLAN PLAN

PLAN

Design AlternativesThe modular system provides various design alternatives . Depending upon the family requirements and space availability the plan can be worked out

Alternative -1 One room shelter

Alternative -2 One room + Kitchen + Toilet – Linear arrangement

Alternative -3 One room + Kitchen + Toilet - Square arrangement

A Temporary hospital of eleven beds was constructed within eight hours at Samakhiyali for earthquake victims during January 2001 earthquake.

COST ESTIMATE OF SINGLE SHELTER UNIT (January 2001)

Floor Area 11'-0" X 8' -3" = 90.75 Sq.Ft.

No Particular Quantity Unit Rate Amount

1 31 mm OD. M.S. Pipes 325 RFT 13.50 4387.50

2 Three way elbo 52 No. 27.00 1404.00

3 Union 13 No. 32.00 416.00

4 12 inch long U-pins 18 No. 25.00 450.00

5 J - Bolts 14 No. 3.00 42.00

6 Clams and bolts 42 No. 7.00 294.00

7 Nevar Patti 1 No. 70.00 910.00

8 Curved Corrugated Roofing sheets 4 No. 489.00 1956.00

9 6 mm A.C. Sheets 2 No. 108.00 216.00

10 Labour charges for cutting and threading 13 No. 100.00 1300.00

11 Raw material Carting Lum sum 50.00

12 Contingency (5%) 575.00

TOTAL 12000.50

Learning from others - Wooden temporary shelter by one of the NGO in Bhachau.

It was observed that the temporary shelters built using wooden structure was not occupied by villagers. The reasons may be, as the location was far from main village .

Thank You