Hexayurt
Information
Seeking a low cost shelter and utilities solution for use in emergency relief.
Website: http://www.hexayurt.com, http://www.appropedia.org/Hexayurt_research_agenda
Members: 27
Latest Activity: 23 hours ago
Overview
This challenge seeks to provide a low-cost shelter and utilities solution for use in emergency relief and housing development for the world's poorest communities. Science for Humanity is looking for a sustainable, longer-term solution which can be manufactured with local labour and materials.
Geographical Area
Various. A solution to this challenge has the potential to help in disaster relief or for housing of the poorest across the developing world.
Haiti: The Hexayurt has particular relevance for earthquake-hit Haiti and is being further developed for the climactic conditions of Haiti’s hurricane season. Science for Humanity is facilitating the Hexayurt’s examination by structural engineers for its capacity to withstand high winds and strong rain. It is also raising funds to assist with the testing of the Hexayurt in Haiti and the project management of its eventual deployment through local NGOs. To donate, please visit http://www.scienceforhumanity.net/donate-hexayurt.
Relvant Scientific Participation
Science for Humanity currently has engineers collaborating on this challenge. There are a number of aspects to this challenge which require volunteers from other areas of expertise (e.g. material scientists). Join the Hexayurt Group to get involved or to follow the progress of this challenge, particularly in Haiti.
What is the nature of the problem?
- Tents are most often used as emergency shelter in relief situations and these are usually too cold in cold areas, too hot in hot areas and deteriorate within a few months.
- Emergency shelters have to be brought into emergency areas, which requires time and the high costs of transportation (e.g. air freighting).
- Tents cannot be used for long-term shelter and do not assist the re-housing of refugees after an emergency.
What is the nature of the opportunity?
- Hexayurts provide a low-cost and sustainable solution for disaster relief.
- Hexayurts are more like houses than tents and can come with an infrastructure package.
- They can be manufactured locally using semi-skilled labour and materials such as cardboard, plastic and plywood. Therefore, they can be easily mobilised.
- Hexayurts can last up to three years rather than the average three months of a tent.
- They can be relocated with the refugees to provide longer-term housing.
Challenge Requirements
1. The structural and thermal computer modeling of Hexayurts - We need to be able to take a material, measure its physical properties under load (e.g. snow) and come up with accurate predictions about its performance under a range of field conditions.
2. Materials research on low cost industrial panel manufacture - We need a specification for a simple panel material that can be mass manufactured cheaply in the developing world, not necessarily on site, but using local manufacturing capacity. One promising approach is a very thin, lightweight aluminium sandwich panel derived from the approaches taken with cardboard honeycombs rather than from aircraft panels.
3. An effective timer valve for pasteurization processes. We need a valve and sensor package which will open automatically when the water being pasteurized has been at 65c for 8 hours. Although clever approaches using melting wax or color changing chemical reactions may be possible, it may be more effective to mass manufacture a low cost electronic device.
Discussion Forum
Current status? 3 Replies
Hello What’s the current status with this project? I note the email requesting funds to progress the proposal with a view to trailing in Haiti. This is something that I would be interested in supp…
Tagged: drawings
Started by Ian Vincent. Last reply by Anu Devi, Projects Feb 15.
Insulation
Regarding insulation, I feel that it may be better for the unit to be insulated as a secondary process – i.e. supplied in naked form with cladding for insulation applied subsequently. Obviously it…
Tagged: cost, cladding, insulation
Started by Ian Vincent Feb 12.
No Tape! Plastic Ties... 2 Replies
Using plastic ties to hold the panels together is a compelling alternative to the use of tape. Simply slice a very small slit through each of two adjoining panels - a pair of slits on top and a pair…
Started by Joseph M. Steinberger. Last reply by Ian Vincent Feb 12.
Recent thermal analysis results of the Hexayurt by Dr. Torwong Chenvidyakarn
Dear Vinay, I have modified the model and use it to explore the night-time conditions when the hut is uninsulated and when it is insulated internally with Reflectix (two-sided foil, double bubble) w…
Started by Anu Devi, Projects Nov. 9, 2009.
The Origami Shelter 3 Replies
I noted that finding appropriate tape and anchoring were both problems, and it occurred to me that the art of origami can eliminate the need for tape altogether. The "Cube" is one of the best know Or…
Started by Joseph M. Steinberger. Last reply by Joseph M. Steinberger Sep. 22, 2009.
Thermal Analysis of the Hexayurt by Dr. Torwong Chenvidyakarn
Dr. Torwong Chenvidyakarn, University Lecturer at the University of Cambridge, has volunteered to conduct the thermal analysis of the Hexayurt. The SfH team really appreciates his time and input in t…
Started by Anu Devi, Projects Sep. 17, 2009.
New member to the Hexayurt 2 Replies
Dr. Albert Ko from the Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, University of Hong Kong, is interested in getting involved with the Hexayurt. He might be able to conduct the structural analy…
Started by Anu Devi, Projects. Last reply by Anu Devi, Projects Jul. 13, 2009.
Hexayurt Research Agenda
Please visit the following website to view the long term research questions relevant for building the Hexayurt emergency shelter: http://www.appropedia.org/Hexayurt_resea website considers the follo…
Started by Anu Devi, Projects Jul. 13, 2009.
Thermal comfort 2 Replies
I may be able to help with the thermal comfort/building physics issues, if there are any. Just let me know. :-)
Started by Dr Torwong Chenvidyakarn. Last reply by Dr Torwong Chenvidyakarn Jul. 8, 2009.
Estimating snow load and wind variations using Eurocodes
Please see below Mr. Tristan Smith's comment on the Hexayurt. Vinay, please do respond at your convenience. My best, Anu. Reading your project description, it occurred to me that a lot of the fundam…
Started by Anu Devi, Projects Jun. 19, 2009.
© 2010 Created by Science for Humanity
