Deepinder Cheema
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Earthquake resistant housing
Jan 18, 2010, 14:25
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The Haitian tragedy has once again alerted me to the fact that it was the buildings rather than the natural movements of the earth that has caused this mayhem. I believe the fault line going through Haiti is one of those that builds up tension over decades or centuries and releases it energy all in one go, rather than let the friction slip frequently, thus catching the people unawares. Is there any low cost permanent or semi-permanent housing idea's that can be developed to resist this phenomena?
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drewbhoy
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Edited Jan 18, 2010, 14:31
Re: Earthquake resistant housing
Jan 18, 2010, 14:31
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Deepinder Cheema wrote: The Haitian tragedy has once again alerted me to the fact that it was the buildings rather than the natural movements of the earth that has caused this mayhem. I believe the fault line going through Haiti is one of those that builds up tension over decades or centuries and releases it energy all in one go, rather than let the friction slip frequently, thus catching the people unawares. Is there any low cost permanent or semi-permanent housing idea's that can be developed to resist this phenomena?
I listened to Haitian American Ambass., driving home, on Steve Nolan's show on R5 last night. He said that one of the main problems was that Port au Prince was a city designed for 40,000 - 60,000 people so 2 million people would mean massive overcrowding. Therefore the death count has been unfortunately high.
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Loopy Lumbago
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Re: Earthquake resistant housing
Jan 18, 2010, 14:39
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Found several, most looked rather costly though. But maybe this, with modification to local raw materials and conditions, could be used:
http://practicalaction.org/disaster-reduction/earthquake_housing
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drewbhoy
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Re: Earthquake resistant housing
Jan 18, 2010, 14:43
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Loopy Lumbago wrote:
Would the Haitian Government be able to put such housing plans, like that, in motion without being corrupt. But I agree that type of housing might be one of several solutions.
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dodge one
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Re: Earthquake resistant housing
Jan 18, 2010, 15:00
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From what i've read, the Haitian Govt. has left the building.
What ever happens there, it will be done with the generosity of those that rebuild Haiti for them.
There is NO money there, There is zero Natural resources, There is no Government in control, The only police force is the American military at the moment, People are being buried by the tens of thousands in huge holes with bulldozers, Relief workers are being stalled at the airports for fear of being mobbed by AXE wielding mobs of looters......About 1000 of there most Hardened criminals have escaped from prison.....Doctors are performing amputations with rusty hacksaws, There is no Alcohol to sterilize things with.....
All this was shown last night on CBS's 60 minutes, here in the states.
Whatever the outcome, there will still be more than 8 million people there left with NOTHING, but what the rest of the world can give.
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drewbhoy
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Re: Earthquake resistant housing
Jan 18, 2010, 15:08
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Hi D1, I saw something similar on the BBC this morning. Probably for a long time a foreign power, most likely the USA, will have to look after affairs in Haiti. But you have got to wonder how much more that country and people can take. 4 hurricanes, currupt Govts in the past and now this. They need all the help they can get now and in the future which is where the resistant housing comes in. Personally I think the powers that can provide should provide.
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Loopy Lumbago
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Re: Earthquake resistant housing
Jan 18, 2010, 15:14
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The housing will only be one of a wide range of problems of course.
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drewbhoy
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Re: Earthquake resistant housing
Jan 18, 2010, 15:18
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Of course, health, agriculture, sanitation, restoration of Government, education etc, etc, etc You are absolutely correct. But having a capital city so over populated was only going to make the situation worse. Then again, probably in the countryside areas there is no work/food/housing/education and the rest. However with worlds help maybe they can sort out a vast amount of problems or at least improve them.
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Loopy Lumbago
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Re: Earthquake resistant housing
Jan 18, 2010, 15:30
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Seconded!
And I sincerely hope the international community will be able to give some serious help of lasting value, not just a band-aid here & there for the sake of appearances.
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drewbhoy
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Re: Earthquake resistant housing
Jan 18, 2010, 15:42
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Loopy Lumbago wrote: Seconded!
And I sincerely hope the international community will be able to give some serious help of lasting value, not just a band-aid here & there for the sake of appearances.
Yup, it will be interesting to see what happens when the media attention all to quickly goes somewhere else. That is when the real work will happen or the powers that be will profit from misery on a poverty stricken people when the worlds back is turned. This is maybe Obama's chance to fix a lot of the damage of America's image worldwide. Seen Israeli aid workers helping rescue an old man on the news, thats an encouraging start.
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