4. On Site Issues

There are some key issues that need to be considered:

Related links4.1 Transportation

In emergency situations, often the local transportation infrastructure is limited or has been damaged. Steel with its natural strength-to-weight ratio makes this challenge easy to overcome. Light weight steel sections can be transported by pack animal, bicycle, canoe or even under man power. 

All that is needed to is forethought to design the building to use standard lengths that can be hand-carried to the construction site.

4.2 Simplicity of erection

Buildings need to be simply erected on site and ideally be designed with a thought for the local people's ongoing needs and challenges.  Planning should include the use of local unskilled labour.  Pre-punched and pre-engineered steel construction techniques are ideal. Since most components are easy and light to carry, they can be hand-carried to the site without the use of cranes or lifting devices.

4.3 Lack of adequate power and tools

With some forethought,  the use of power can be eliminated and the use of complicated tools reduced. With steel construction, the use of a spanner, screwdriver and spirit level are often all this is required.

Self-drilling, galvanised steel foundations, pre punched holes and self-tapping screws makes the job easy to erect with a minimum of skills.

4.4 Stability in Weak Soils

Lightweight steel frames also offer stability to prevent the structure from sinking into weak soils, which can be a real burden as a result of a natural disaster. As well, different geographical regions may require different building aspects for the emergency structures. In tropical climates steel housing design can satisfactorily supply natural ventilation through large air vents under the roof so that hot air can escape, as well as sloping roof design that facilitates efficient rain dispersal.

Steel is a convenient material which can be used easily combined with the other conventional building materials that may be within easy reach in the concerned area, thereby supporting practical methods for material supply. Products such as purlins, sheeting rails and main framing components as well as cladding, roof sheeting and floor decking are often used most effectively by combining them with other materials. For example they can be efficiently used in combination local bricks, cement plaster, coconut leaves, rattan, bamboo or fibrocement panels, for side and rear walls.

4.5 Sustainable construction

Train local labour to do the necessary jobs, and where possible, use local cladding materials. Reusable steel sheets, timber, bamboo, woven grass and palm-frond walls are examples.

By employing a steel structure with a mezzanine-level living area, walls and roofs can be rebuilt if damaged, and valuable food, tools, seed crops and clothing protected.  The ease of building enables quick reconstruction and redevelopment of communities and provides a process that is self-sustaining.

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