An innovative system for post-emergency timber housing

This research aims at investigating a possible layout of a temporary house that could be unfolded in situ through a pneumatic system. The innovative system consists of a triangular shaped timber frame that could be easily compacted in order to form a beam like structure for transportation. Once placed in situ each timber frame could be restored in shape and assembled with other frames to realize this modular temporary housing. The paper analyses the structural performance of this modular house, through a Finite Element model, taking into account different aspects such as the possibility of fitting together and disassembling the modules and their capacity to bear the main loads acting on the structure (snow, wind and earthquake). In this respect, as this timber shelter could be used in a post-emergency situation, the module has been verified also with the data of the response spectrum of the Nepalese earthquake that struck Kathmandu valley in April 2015. All the performed analyses confirm the ease of construction of this housing solution and its proper structural behaviour in terms of stress in the elements, displacements and supporting system.