3 - Kerala Flood Resilience in Design
Enroll to start learning
You’ve not yet enrolled in this course. Please enroll for free to listen to audio lessons, classroom podcasts and take practice test.
Interactive Audio Lesson
Listen to a student-teacher conversation explaining the topic in a relatable way.
Basic Building Design
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Today, we’re going to discuss how building designs can influence flood resilience in Kerala. First, why do you think a symmetrical building shape might be more stable?
Maybe because it distributes forces evenly?
Exactly! Symmetry helps in load distribution. Now, what about empty pockets in buildings? Why should we avoid them?
They make buildings weaker during floods, right?
Correct! They can become vulnerable to damage. Remember: 'No pockets, less damage!' It's a simple way to remember.
Wind Effects on Building Design
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Now let’s talk about wind effects. What issues might arise from row house designs near the shore?
They can create wind tunnels that increase pressure on the walls.
Perfect! And to counteract this, how might zigzag planning help?
It can break up the flow of wind, reducing pressure on the walls!
Yes! Remember, zigzag for relief! Now, why is building orientation important?
It can minimize openings facing the wind.
Material Choices and Construction Techniques
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
We also need to talk about materials. What mortar ratio do you think is recommended for flood-resistant buildings?
Is it 1:6 for cement and sand?
Exactly! Proper ratios are critical for quality. Can anyone explain why curing is also essential?
It helps ensure the mortar sets properly, right?
Yes! Without good curing, even the best materials can fail. Let’s remember that: 'Cure to endure!'
Retrofitting and Local Practices
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Let’s turn our attention to retrofitting buildings post-disaster. What is one innovation from Benny Kuriakose’s manual?
He created diagrams to make it easier for local masons to understand?
Correct! Visual aids are tremendously helpful. Why do you think using local language in manuals is beneficial?
It helps masons who might not understand English better.
Exactly! Communication and accessibility are key to rebuilding effectively. Remember, 'Local info for local builders!'
Introduction & Overview
Read summaries of the section's main ideas at different levels of detail.
Quick Overview
Standard
The section focuses on architectural guidelines for flood resilience in Kerala, emphasizing the design of stable structures, the avoidance of empty pockets in buildings, and the use of appropriate materials for construction. It also discusses the development of manuals for retrofitting structures post-flood and the need for effective drainage systems to mitigate future risks.
Detailed
In this section, various aspects of designing flood-resistant buildings in Kerala are thoroughly examined. The content emphasizes the importance of symmetrical building designs and avoiding empty pockets, which can weaken structural integrity during floods. It discusses the practical implications of orientation and planning, such as wind tunnel effects from row-house designs and how zigzag layouts can reduce these pressures. Additionally, recommendations for mortar ratios and material quality are provided, stressing adherence to established IS codes. The section highlights the efforts of architect Benny Kuriakose, who created a manual for retrofitting and resilient designs following the 2018 Kerala floods. This manual addresses the causes of flooding and proposes solutions for construction practices that can withstand future flood events, including the need for effective drainage systems and the understanding of groundwater pressures. Ultimately, it argues for integrating disaster resilience into local architecture, considering both cultural and geographical diversity in design practices.
Audio Book
Dive deep into the subject with an immersive audiobook experience.
Building Design Considerations
Chapter 1 of 7
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
And also, you know, don’t have too many offsets you know here, this is like too many, so symmetrical but still it’s too many offsets in it but then either try to make more of a defined shape because that is where you can even have a diagonal bracings, you can have some kind of support system so, it will; it is at least bound to a; this plan should be square or rectangular, if it is rectangular then you need to have a kind of intermediate support systems into it.
Detailed Explanation
In this part, we discuss how building shapes can influence structural stability. Buildings with many offsets or irregular shapes are often less stable during disasters like floods. A more symmetrical and defined shape, such as square or rectangular, can better withstand stress. Additionally, diagonal bracings and support systems can further enhance the structure's strength, especially if it's rectangular and requires extra support.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine a toy block tower. If you stack blocks only in one direction with no support, it can easily fall over. However, if you create a square base and support it from the sides, like adding diagonal beams, it becomes much sturdier.
Vulnerability of Asymmetric Designs
Chapter 2 of 7
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Now, asymmetric buildings with empty pockets are more vulnerable to damage because don’t leave these empty pockets, we tried to fill that and that is where these are more stable you know, the symmetric buildings are more stable and also when we say about the row house planning; the row house planning also creates wind tunnel effects because the moment your house is one step to another, next to the shore and then it channels the wind and that is where it can damage the edges of the walls or the corners.
Detailed Explanation
Asymmetric buildings—those with uneven shapes or 'empty pockets'—are at greater risk of damage during floods or storms. Filling in these empty spaces can enhance stability. Additionally, row house designs are prone to creating 'wind tunnel effects,' which can increase wind pressure on walls, making them more likely to experience damage.
Examples & Analogies
Think of a row of dominos set up one after another. When one domino falls, it creates a chain reaction that can topple the others. Similarly, if one house in a row experiences wind pressure, it can lead to damage along the entire row of houses.
Wind Effects on Building Orientation
Chapter 3 of 7
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
So, that is where you can even you know, now even the zigzag planning avoid wind tunnel effect right, so how actually, you can actually see about, how you can actually, give a little bit of vastness and then reduce it so, the zigzag pattern as well can have some control, it depends on how you are actually orienting it and similarly, the long phase of the building facing the wind direction.
Detailed Explanation
Zigzag building designs are suggested to mitigate wind tunnel effects by breaking the direct channeling of wind. Orientation is crucial, as buildings should avoid having their longer sides facing directly into oncoming winds, which can concentrate wind forces on vulnerable parts of a building.
Examples & Analogies
Picture a windbreaker jacket designed with zigzag patterns. These patterns help deflect the wind instead of letting it hit directly against a flat surface. Just like that, zigzag building designs help redirect the wind and reduce damage.
Material Ratios and Quality Control
Chapter 4 of 7
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
In terms of quality control, it is also talks about the material, what are the ratios we have to include. So, when we say about do not use cement and sand to be less than 1.6 okay, 1:6, so for 1 cement and 6 part of the sand. So, you should not make use of the combination of this mortar not less than 1:6, either it is recommended to use 1 sand, 1 cement and 6 sand or 1 lime with 3 sand or 1 cement, 3 lime and 9 sand, so this is a kind of mortar mixes which normally guidelines do recommend.
Detailed Explanation
Quality control in construction is vital, especially in flood-prone areas. Recommended ratios for materials like cement, sand, and lime help ensure the strength and durability of constructions. Mixing them in specified ratios (for example, 1 part cement to 6 parts sand) is crucial to achieve the stability and resilience needed for buildings to withstand flood conditions.
Examples & Analogies
Think about baking a cake. If you don’t follow the recipe accurately, your cake might not rise or could fall apart. Similarly, in construction, using the right material ratios ensures that structures remain strong and resilient, especially against floods.
Localizing Solutions for Disaster Resilience
Chapter 5 of 7
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
So, there has been an effort by architect Benny Kuriakose after the recent Kerala floods. So, what he did was he developed a manual for retrofitting and flood resilient design for flood-affected areas in Kerala. So, the Malayalam version is already printed and the English version is on the process.
Detailed Explanation
Architect Benny Kuriakose recognized the need for localized design solutions following the Kerala floods. He created a manual for retrofitting houses in flood-affected areas, ensuring that the guidance is accessible in both Malayalam and English, addressing language barriers for local builders and masons.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine someone trying to assemble furniture from a complex instruction manual in a language they don’t understand. Kuriakose's work is like providing a simplified, bilingual manual that helps local builders tackle their specific challenges with floods more effectively.
Understanding the Causes of Flood Disaster
Chapter 6 of 7
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
He looks into the before coming into the solutions, he actually explains the situation of how the causes you know, this is a very important aspect of developing any guidance, so one has to understand the consequences of these disasters and especially, what are the causes; root causes for it.
Detailed Explanation
Before proposing solutions, Kuriakose emphasizes understanding the root causes of flooding disasters. This insight is crucial for creating effective guidelines that address both the immediate and long-term challenges posed by natural disasters.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine a doctor treating an illness without understanding its cause. To treat it effectively, the doctor needs to diagnose the underlying issue first. Similarly, understanding the causes of flooding helps create better prevention and mitigation strategies.
Building Locations and Flood Risk
Chapter 7 of 7
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
For instance, here, you have these normal setup where you have the river level and all of them have built on the top, on the mountains and then the average flood level in case, it might have reached here but then because, after the construction of dams, people started construction near the riverbeds, they change. Because they know, that the water is not coming very frequently, that is how they started coming down.
Detailed Explanation
The text discusses changes in land use, particularly how constructions near riverbeds became more common after dam constructions gave people a false sense of security about flooding. This misguided development increases vulnerability to flooding.
Examples & Analogies
It’s similar to someone who has been warned about the dangers of a steep cliff but then decides to build their house right at the edge because they've never seen it collapse. Just because a disaster hasn’t occurred yet doesn’t mean it won’t.
Key Concepts
-
Symmetrical Design: Enhances stability and reduces structural vulnerability.
-
Empty Pockets: Should be avoided to prevent weakness in structure during floods.
-
Wind Orientation: Properly orienting buildings helps minimize wind damage.
-
Material Quality: Ratios of cement to sand must be followed for strong construction.
Examples & Applications
In Tamil Nadu's coastal villages, buildings are often oriented with their shorter sides facing the wind to reduce pressure on walls.
Benny Kuriakose’s manual incorporates local language and diagrams, making it accessible for local masons to understand flood-resistant practices.
Memory Aids
Interactive tools to help you remember key concepts
Rhymes
Symmetry, symmetry, strong like a tree, walls standing tall and free.
Stories
Once there was a small town with a building facing the wind. The builders added zigzag paths for the wind to bend, saving their homes from damage, a joyful trend!
Memory Tools
SINE: Symmetrical, Inward pockets never exist - they lead to flood twists.
Acronyms
SMART = Symmetric Materials Abide Resilience Techniques.
Flash Cards
Glossary
- Asymmetrical building
A building design lacking symmetry, potentially leading to structural vulnerability.
- Wind Tunnel Effect
A phenomenon where wind is channeled between buildings, increasing pressure and potential damage.
- Mortar Ratio
The proportion of cement, sand, and other materials used in mortar mixtures.
- Retrofitting
The process of adding new technology or features to older systems to improve resilience.
Reference links
Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.