When a hurricane hits a coastal area in a poor country, the buildings of this place fall dawn like a house of cards. Engineers of the University of Alabama at Birmingham are making investigations to build up a cost-effective structure material that can resist the onslaught of hurricanes or tsunamis. According to the project managers, a deep research in Bangladesh is testing the mixture of jute fiber and plastic to carry out a new process that will give a lighter material, more resistant and cheaper. Against possible floods, this material makes that the construction separates itself from its foundation and floated.
Engineers of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) are investigating in this lightweight and malleable stuff to create building foundations and walls, a new material that does not break and float in case of tsunami or hurricane.
The engineering professor, Mr. Nasim Uddin, is leading this study in collaboration with Brac University in Bangladesh, a country particularly affected by adverse weather conditions. They study the natural fibers compounds and the advantage of building constructions at low prices in coastal areas.
Jute
Mr. Uddin is working closely with local researchers to explore the flexibility and reliability of these coastal constructions, created by components that do not harm the environment. This mixture of plastic and jute fiber makes an ultra-resistant material.
The houses built in the traditional way, easily collapse after being hit by a hurricane. That is the reason why they are searching a "more intelligent" that goes beyond the traditional materials. The UAB team has created a polymers material known as Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) before making the tests on the fiber.
Aerospace and automotive materials have been proved because of the higher quality compared to other building stuff. The objective is to obtain a similar material but made of vegetabel fibers.
The study aimed to verify whether a house built from jute fiber is actually reliable. Researchers are trying to resolve the architectural challenges with this material in real situations.
A floating house
According to Mr Uddin, this new lighter technology will allow the building or structure to resist hurricanes and ensuing floods, simply by floating and therefore "break free" from its foundation depending on the water level increasing.
This is an invention of huge importance in the areas affected by hurricanes and that could also be applied in the U.S. coastal areas of Alabama, Florida or New Orleans, where these phenomena are common.
Bangladesh, a nation prone to these disasters, is a perfect place to conduct this research and try to understand the real potential of this new technology.
On the other hand, Brac University has reached an agreement with an important non-governmental organization, establishing, on the ground, an infrastructure for the new jute fiber implementation technology.
EN
DE
ES
FR
IT
