pace. As a word for describingmaterials, “composite” hasvaried connotations. Basically, itis a combination of two or morematerials with better propertiesthan its constituent materials.The concept of compositematerial has been understoodand applied in structures sinceancient times, for examplebamboo and plaster as well asstraw and mud composites formaking huts, and warfareapplications such as swordsmade of steel and soft iron.The most common compositetoday is steel-reinforcedconcrete, where the high tensilestrength of steel is combinedwith the high compressivestrength of concrete to create afantastic building material,whereby the concrete itself is acomposite of cement, sand andgravel. With newer and newermaterials being developed,fibre-reinforced compositeshave gained ground. This alsoapplies to glass-fibre reinforcedplastics like polyester or carbon-fibre reinforced epoxies thathave “engineered” propertiesthat they can be used inaerospace applications under

extreme conditions. The word“designer materials” suits themperfectly as they can be “tailormade” to have specificproperties for the application inmind. We therefore believe that“design” is very closelyconnected with composites andit is through design that thepotential of these materials canbe fully realized. Of course, thelimitations of compositescannot be ignored but, hereagain, these limitations can beoffset by design strategies. The Industrial Design Centre(IDC) at the Indian Institute ofTechnology Bombay (IITB)has worked extensively withagencies such as TIFAC (theTechnology Information,Forecasting & AssessmentCouncil, which runs aComposite Missionprogramme), the Governmentof India’s Department ofScience & Technology andvarious manufacturers todevelop a variety of appropriateapplications for compositematerials, particularly glass-reinforced plastics (GRP), to

he growing humanpopulation adds to theever-increasing demand

for shelter. In addition to theexisting housing shortage, Indiais facing the problem ofsheltering people affected bynatural calamities such as theGujarat earthquake or therecent tsunami, and also forthose affected by annual floodsin various parts of the country.Shelter is also required forpeople displaced due to dambuilding and otherdevelopment projects.Designing mass-producedhousing and shelters withcomposite materials such asfibre-reinforced plastics (FRP)can help alleviate the problemto some extent and at a faster

14 jec composites magazine / No67 August - September 2011

effectively compete withtraditional materials on cost andoffer superior functionality andperformance. Some of the workfocused on products like railwaycars, vehicles and a special classof boats. The examples belowdemonstrate how creativedesign strategies and modularconcepts combined with ahumanistic approach helpdevelop products thateffectively addess user concernsand are far superior to existingproducts.

In the next 35 years, 3.5 billion people will needplaces to live, i.e. 3,500 cities with one millionresidents. Today, there are less than 300 cities ofthis size in the world. In the next 35 years,another 600 million housing units will be needed,more than exist now.

T

building & construction

Composite materials in modular housing:growing design potential & an imperative need in India

K. MUNSHI

PROFESSOR, INDUSTRIAL DESIGN / MOBILITY & VEHICLE DESIGN

DIRECTOR, CTECH LABS PVT. LTDINDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY BOMBAY

SOURCE:W3.WHOSEA.ORG/GUJARAT/FINALREPORT3.HTM

ByTab. 1: Housing stock damageafter the Gujarat earthquake

Pucca houses destroyed

Pucca houses damaged

Kachcha houses destroyed

Kachcha houses damaged

Huts destroyed

Huts damaged

Total houses damaged

159,960

148,339

295,061

13,889

31,395

M 1.2

399,346

Tab. 2: People requiring relocation due to tsunamis*

Tamil Nadu

StatePersons movedto safer places

Relief camps/ persons in the camps

Pondicherry

Andhra Pradesh

Kerala

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

499,962

34,264

22,474

11,797

700,000

412 / 309,379

65 / 30,500

35 / 22,474

110 / 40,903

48 / 6,750

*FIGURES AS OF 5 JANUARY 2005

JCM67_Applications_Mise en page 1 26/07/11 15:06 Page14

Kiosks is another segment whichis gaining in popularity. Thereare 2 types of kiosks in use – forinterior use and for exterior use.Exterior kiosks are used assecurity personnel cabins, milkbooths, newspaper booths, thevery common Paan (chewablebetel leaf) shops, etc. These aregenerally of poor quality, pooraesthetics and without muchconsideration for the user.Interior kiosks are used topromote and sell products inmalls, airports, etc. They lookbetter and are made from steel,aluminium, wood or laminatesand fabricated on site. There isscope for making these productsfrom standard modules and incomposite materials with built-inaesthetics and ergonomics andbuilt-in electrical and mechanicalsystems.

There are very few players in themodular construction sector.Fair-sized shelters or temporarywork offices are copies orsimplistic adaptations of normalbrick & mortar or metalconstructions. FRP compositematerials are generally used forsmall units like security cabins.Quite often, they are not

modular in naturebut delivered to thesite as a single shellby the localmanufacturer. Theyare expensive totransport to remoteareas, where theneed is greater. FRPuse is usuallyrestricted to atriumcanopies, decorativefaçade elements or

“pseudo stained glass” panels.Much needs to be done tointegrate appropriate materials,construction techniques,transportability, suitability ofuse, aesthetic & marketability

resilience);- Easy and quick construction of shelters;

- Temporary shelters to be dismantled and stored for future use;

- Portability and transportability;- Joinery to be made simpler by incorporating specially-designed elements;- Functionnal felxibility required for different users or to satisfy varying customer demands.

A modular systemThe use of modular architecturalconcepts helped to meet theabove challenges effectively bydesigning separate componentsthat could be connectedtogether in a predeterminedmanner. The characteristic of amodular system is that any onecomponent (module) can bereplaced or added/removed/substituted withoutaffecting the rest of the system.Construction using modularelements provides flexibility sothat the structures can be alteredto suit a variety of uses withminimal changes. Throughmodular design andconstruction, the benefits andeconomies of industrialproduction were combined withthe ability to satisfy thecustomized requirements of adiverse user group.

Modular construction has to beprecisely designed, as themodules need to be replicableand interchangeable. Smallersections or modules aremanufactured separately and areassembled on site with quickfastening techniques. All majorsystems, including mechanical,electrical, plumbing and finishes,are to be integrated into themodules in themanufacturing plant prior toshipping and installation.

and quality. There is very littlesystematic research in this areaor in the use of compositematerials for construction, inIndia at present.

A unique programmeTIFAC has been running aunique mission – the AdvancedComposite Programme (ACP)– to promote the use ofcomposites in India. Its policy ofinvolving end users andsupporting user industrythrough easy financing, whileproviding high-level expertisethrough consultants, ensuressuccess for the projects as shownby many examples. Among others, TIFAC hassupported projects such as amodular toilet for rail coaches, aluxury houseboat for tourismauthority, the interior of a 3-tiersleeper coach for IndianRailways, all developed incomposite materials withtechnology and design inputsfrom the IITB. In all theseprojects, design was the drivingdiscipline and was integratedseamlessly with technology andmanufacturing processesthrough appropriate productplanning and conceptualizationand taking in account humanand aesthetic factors and theconcerns of all stakeholders.Encouraged by the success ofthe projects and acceptance ofdesign as an integral part ofdevelopment, TIFAC supporteda project to develop a “multi-purpose modular housingsystem” in FRP at the IITB.

Project challengesThe project had to take up thefollowing challenges:- Appropriate use of the FRP material and its properties (high specific strength, thermal insulation, corrosion resistance, electrical insulation and

Current scenarioThe current shelters in India areusually made from materialssuch as canvas, tarps, plasticsheeting, tin sheets, etc.providing inexpensivetemporary shelter at minimalcost. However, fabrics tend torot-canvas and plastic bothdisintegrate upon exposure towater and UV rays. Tinstructures also prove inadequatewith their minimal protectionfrom the elements.Additionnaly, the strong feelingof impermanence and physicalvulnerability of the people livingin these so called “shelters” isgnawing.

Besides temporary housing,temporary and portable officespace is a large segment whichlends itself to FRP design. Thegrowing infrastructuredevelopment and increasingnumber of projects in roadbuilding, construction, etc. willdetermine the demand for suchoffice space, which is going to beenormous. Presently, some ofthis demand is met by containerstyle boxes manufactured insteel, which makes them heavyand not so portable.

These are essentially mono-block constructions that cannotbe dismantled for transport. Amodular approach and the use ofFRP can address some of theseissues effectively.

No67 August - September 2011 / jec composites magazine 15

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ns

Fig.1: Current shelters in relief camps

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Research and designmethodologyThe research and designmethodology included thefollowing stages:1. Study of the current products for portable/temporary shelters listing their advantages/ disadvantages.

2. Study of the materials currently used in temporary/portable structures

3. Study of the usage of existing temporary shelters – offices, workspaces, living accommodation, disaster shelters, healthecare facilities, tourist huts.

4. Product plan – derived from the conclusion of the above study.

5. Concept generation – large number of preliminary ideas.

6. Development of the most promising ideas into product ideas – concept sketches, renderings, dimensional drawings.

7. 3D modelling – to check possibilities for assembly, manufacturing, fitting, etc.

8. Validation of design for load bearing, structural stability, etc.

9. Final designs – scale models, design documentation.

These were followed by acollaborative phase withmanufacturing companies:

10. Design changes if any, to suit the manufacturing organizations and technologies.

11. Production of a 1:1 prototype in collaboration with manufacturers.

12. User testing/field testing.13. Final prototyping.14. Component development.15. Tooling and production.Throughout the design process,the project advisory committee

played a crucial role byproviding meaningful feedbackand challenging the projectteam to raise the level ofinnovation, which was highlyappreciated.

The following product(housing) ideas were generatedand developed in detail. Scaledmodels were produced forpresentation and validationpurposes.• Anganwadi housing• Beach tourist huts• Frangible cabins for housing instrumentation near airport runways

• Public toilet clusters

Conceptual explorationsof modularity forhousing applications

While the modules are beingmanufactured in factories,site development can takeplace concurrently.Maintaining the requiredlevel of precision and qualityin the manufacturing processis a key critical challenge.

Additional advantagesof modular constructionModular construction offers anumber of additionaladvantages:- Speed: from start to finish, a modular structure/building is erected in a fraction of the time required for the traditional on-site building method.

- Cost efficiency: modular components, offer cost efficiencies resulting from the bulk purchase of materials and employment of mass manufacturing techniques. This also result in transportation efficiencies and therefore further lower cost benefits.

- Portability: modular buildings/structures can be relocated as needed, especially for use as storage spaces, shelters, disaster relief camps, temporary hospitals/clinics, kiosks and project site offices and structures for tourism and seasonal events like festivals, etc.

Considering the above, modularconstruction was identified asthe strategic design feature,around which a research anddesign methodology wasevolved. Another strategicfeature was the collaborationwith manufacturing and useragencies from the start of theproject to get the right feedback,improve the acceptance of thefinal product and ensure itsimplementation.

16 jec composites magazine / No67 August - September 2011

Concepts for Anganwadi

Development of atourist beach hut at GoaThe condition of tourist shacksand huts was studied in Goa

building & construction

Fig.2: Modular concept for an enclosure and its structure (a) Extendable and interconnected «service module» concept (b)

Fig.4: Insulated modular panelswith multidirectional extendibility(a) Joinery experiments (b)Joinery trials with models (c)

Fig.3: Insulated modular panels with infinite unidirectional extendibility

a

a

b

b

c

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FEM analysis was done tovalidate the concept. A patentapplication has been filed for thejoinery concept of the frangiblecabin.

Outdoor modular toiletThe outdoor modular toilet(temporary, portable and re-deployable) was one of theproducts that found strongfavour in the review meetingsheld throughout the project. Inthe interest of hygiene, it isnecessary to install this utilitywhere large public gatherings,like festivals or Melas (religiousor social public gatherings), takeplace and in seasonal touristresorts, etc. Infrastructure andergonomic requirements werestudied and the “modular toilet”concept for outdoor use wasdeveloped based on this data.

The discharge from the

funding and supporting allthe above projects and forthe continuing interestshown throughout andmaking sure that we succeed. Thanks are due to theproject advisory committeechairman and members forfacilitating and contributingto the thought process.We also wish to thank all theindustry partners who haveimplemented the aboveprojects and bore with ourcreative idiosyncrasies andalso helped us to get betterinsights in the use of FRP –Hindustan Fibreglass Works,Baroda, for the modulartoilet for rail coach;Blackburn & Co., Kolkatafor the diesel locomotivedrivers’ cabin; SamudraShipyard, Kochi, for theluxury houseboat for KeralaTourism; and CenturyPolymers, Baroda, for theinterior of the 3-tier sleepercoach. n

More information:munshi@iitb.ac.in

References1. Understanding Structures– Derek Seward, Macmillan

Publications2. The Production of Houses

– Christopher Alexander,Oxford University Press: New

York3. Composites: The Future

Building Material –SoumitraBiswas, AtulMittal&

G Srikanth,www.tifac.org.in/news/news.

htm4. Article by G.W. Ewald,

Modern PlasticsEncyclopedia, 1984-85

5. Case studies on shelters:http://courses.washington.edu/larescue/precedents/built.

html

toilet can be connectedto the sewage or into aseparate container fromwhere it can be pumpedout. The toilet unitcomprises a floor toiletmodule, a roof module,a side panel, a backpanel and a doormodule. The roofmodule has a built-in70-litre water storagetank. The floor modulehas an integrated WC

pan (Indian or Western style).An urination panel has beenincorporated in the back panel.There is also a possibility ofputting these up as clusters withadditional facilities for washbasins.

Other projects Other already-deployed projectsdeveloped using FRP modularconstruction include:- Modular toilet for rail coaches- Luxury houseboat for Kerala Tourism- Drivers’ cabin for diesel locomotives

- Interior of 3-tier sleeper coach for Indian railways – prototype under development

AcknowledgementsWe thank TIFAC and DST for

along with coastal zoneregulations and local lawsregarding such constructions.The project aimed at developinghabitable living rooms within theshacks to cater to touristaccommodation needs withappropriate amenities. Theresearch conducted helped todevelop appropriate, functional,economical and highly aestheticconcepts.The design was developed as a“mass customized system” thatcould be rearranged, mountedand dismantled easily.

Development offrangible cabins for theBangalore AirportIn collaboration with VSComposites and CTech Labs(IIT Bombay), work was carriedout to develop an FRP frangiblecabin for the Bangalore Airport.The cabin, intended to house aninstrument landing system, wasbuilt near the runway. Thespecial aspect of this cabin wasthat the structure would collapseon accidental impact from anaircraft so as not to damage theaircraft, while providing securityto the instrumentation housedinside during normal times.

No67 August - September 2011 / jec composites magazine 17

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ns

Fig.5: Single-bed beach cabin (a)Finite-element analysis of thebeach hut to check for wind loadstability (b)

Fig.8: Houseboat – modularconstruction (a) 3-tier sleepercoach interior – modularconstruction(b)

Fig.6: Computer model of frangible cabinand prototype (a) Exploded view of frangiblecabin modules (b) FEM analysis of thefrangible cabin (c)

Fig.6: Single-unit assembly withmodule (a) Assembly for squat-type toilet cluster (b) Ten-unittoilet cluster (c)

a

a

a

b

b

a

b

b

c

c

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