Global awareness of environmental issues such as climate change and resource depletion has grown dramatically in recent years. As a result, there has been a surge of interest in developing alternative building techniques and materials which are capable of meeting our structural needs with lower energy and material consumption. These technologies are particularly attractive for housing. Much of the global demand for housing is currently being driven by economic growth in developing countries. Additionally, natural disasters such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami have destroyed houses in many countries where limited economic wealth makes reconstruction a challenge. This has resulted in shortages of permanent housing in these areas. This thesis explores the structural behaviour of earthbag housing under vertical compressive loading, in an attempt to broaden our quantitative understanding of this alternative building technique. Furthermore, this technique is assessed, along with other alternative construction techniques, for suitability in southern Sri Lanka, an area heavily damaged by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. It was determined that the compressive strength of unplastered earthbag housing specimens meets or exceeds the vertical compressive strength of conventional stud-frame housing technology using a variety of fill materials, with the greatest strength being observed for soil-filled bags. Furthermore, the results of observational research from a site visit to Sri Lanka in 2006, combined with resource availability data and interviews with Sri Lankan citizens, suggest that earthbag housing is a very promising technique for housing construction in the southern coastal region. / Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2008-09-10 16:29:45.005

Natural hazards kill 82,500 people globally in a typical year, with earthquakes as the largest cause of death amongst all natural hazards in Central and Southern America, East Asia, Europe, and the Near East. Damages are highest in middle-income countries due to lack of resources for hazard prevention and mitigation. Dancing to the Desert concentrates on Bam, Iran, as a typical post earthquake city, searching for architecture appropriate for post-disaster cities of hot-arid climates. Dancing to the Desert is a discourse on current seismic, urban, and architectural design conditions in hot-arid climates of the globe, and searches for an appropriate architecture for post-disaster cities in developing regions of the desert climate. Chapter One includes analysis on global seismic hazard conditions, focusing on the hot-arid climates in the world and concentrating on the city of Bam, Iran. Chapter Two includes a detailed analysis of the traditional as well as contemporary architecture of Bam, searching for appropriate architectural elements to use in the proposed architecture. Chapter Three proposes a Pilot Project for an orphanage in Bam, based on the architectural elements and strategies discussed in Chapter Two. Through scientific research, case studies, a site visit to Bam, and discussions with local residents, this thesis finds an appropriate proposal adaptable to all post-disaster cities of the hot-arid climate. It also suggests various strategies for disaster prevention and mitigation through public education. These strategies educate the public in employing cultural and environmental friendly resilient architecture, which will subsequently reduce damage and fatalities on brisk of disaster. It also familiarizes the public with the proposed disaster prevention and mitigation strategies and facilitates the adoption of the proposed design in future post-disaster conditions.

Natural hazards kill 82,500 people globally in a typical year, with earthquakes as the largest cause of death amongst all natural hazards in Central and Southern America, East Asia, Europe, and the Near East. Damages are highest in middle-income countries due to lack of resources for hazard prevention and mitigation. Dancing to the Desert concentrates on Bam, Iran, as a typical post earthquake city, searching for architecture appropriate for post-disaster cities of hot-arid climates. Dancing to the Desert is a discourse on current seismic, urban, and architectural design conditions in hot-arid climates of the globe, and searches for an appropriate architecture for post-disaster cities in developing regions of the desert climate. Chapter One includes analysis on global seismic hazard conditions, focusing on the hot-arid climates in the world and concentrating on the city of Bam, Iran. Chapter Two includes a detailed analysis of the traditional as well as contemporary architecture of Bam, searching for appropriate architectural elements to use in the proposed architecture. Chapter Three proposes a Pilot Project for an orphanage in Bam, based on the architectural elements and strategies discussed in Chapter Two. Through scientific research, case studies, a site visit to Bam, and discussions with local residents, this thesis finds an appropriate proposal adaptable to all post-disaster cities of the hot-arid climate. It also suggests various strategies for disaster prevention and mitigation through public education. These strategies educate the public in employing cultural and environmental friendly resilient architecture, which will subsequently reduce damage and fatalities on brisk of disaster. It also familiarizes the public with the proposed disaster prevention and mitigation strategies and facilitates the adoption of the proposed design in future post-disaster conditions.