COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, SCIENCE &
TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF BUILDING AND CIVIL
ENGINEERING
PEB801- CAPSTONE DESIGN PROJECT 1
TITLE: DESIGN OF SINGLE STOREY HOUSES IN RURAL
AREAS SAFE TO WITHSTAND CATEGORY 5 CYCLONE IN
FIJI
SEMESTER 1 2018
PREPARED BY: PRATHINESH PRAVINESH DUTT
ID#: 2014123664
INTRODUCTION
Generally in Fiji Island, there are two distinct climatic conditions: (1) Distinct dry season
from May to October, (2) Wet season sometimes known as the Cyclone season from
November to April. During the dry season, Fiji offered a gratifying lifestyle to the people.
However during the wet season, the gratifying lifestyle in the dry season becomes a
worrying lifestyle for the people of Fiji Island due to annual occurrence of natural
calamities, among them is a Tropical Cyclone, causing severe Storm with destructive wind
and flooding.
INTRODUCTION
When Tropical Cyclone Winston landfall in the Fiji Island last February 21, 2016, it causes
mass destruction of residential houses, water supply distribution, electricity and roadway
infrastructure. Said mass destruction affected the rising economy of the Fiji Island. The
Ministry of Forestry had existing engineering plans for a single storey timber house that
requires no further design calculation. Also the Fiji Home Building Manual dated
September 1990 prepared by Mr. Kris Ayyar gives the different sizes of the component
major parts of a single storey timber residential house (wooden column, wooden bearer,
wooden purlins and timber wall cladding) in tabulated form without need of further
structural design calculation.
OBJECTIVE
The intention for this project was to design a single storey house in rural area that is capable
of withstanding extreme wind loads that a house will normally experience during cyclone.
Some houses experienced wind loads that are destructive, in excess of 280 km/h, are surely
in for destruction, while many houses can be saved. The protection mandated being
minimal from the current building code and the poor workmanship while construction have
some common issues that contribute to the unnecessary damages of houses. Utilizing these
findings for the development of an efficient plan of action for the goal to be accomplished.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this project is to achieve the following:
• To design a single storey house for rural community to withstand a category 5 Tropical
cyclone with basic wind speed of more than 280km/h of Category 5 in nature.
• To be able to identify the difference of concrete and timber in the design and construction
of a single storey structures against high wind pressures.
• To determine the reason of failure of residential houses during the occurrence of tropical
cyclone Winston in the Fiji island last February 21, 2016.
OBJECTIVE
• Structural Design Analysis of the effect of Wind action using the recommended Design
Standards of the Fiji Technical Committee, which is the AS 4055, 2012.
• Complete Structural Design Analysis of one ideal Timber residential house in Fiji to
withstand the wind action of Tropical Cyclone (Category 5)
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
These questions will lead to the answers to the project objectives:
• Structural design verification from the Ministry of Forestry on the engineering plans recommended for
construction without further design. If the house was designed to withstand category 5 cyclone for rural
communities.
• Structural design verification of the recommendation of the Fiji Home Building Manual dated September
1990 regarding the sizes of bearer, wooden post, wall cladding and connection details without further
design. If recommended sizes and connection details were designed to withstand category 5 cyclone for
rural communities.
• Determination of the major structural failures of residential timber houses during tropical cyclone Winston.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
• Determination of the required minimum allowable bearing capacity of the foundation soil
using Geotechnical Report from Geotechnical Consulting Firm in Fiji.
• Methodology of using AS 4055, 2012 in the calculation of site wind speed of Category 5
Cyclone.
• Methodology of complete structural Design of one complete single storey timber house.
PROJECT SCOPE
• To design a proposed single storey Timber house to withstand category 5 cyclone for
rural communities using the recommended AS 4055, 2012 of the Technical Committee of
Fiji.
• To determine the economy of design
• The main target for this project is to consider the following objectives when designing
buildings in cyclone prone areas, as follows:
a) Structural design analysis of the wind action on single storey timber house using
AS 4055, 2012;
CONT…
b) Structural Design analysis of the truss rafter using NZS 3603 1993;
c) Structural Design analysis of the wooden purlins using NZS 3603 1993;
d) Structural Design analysis of timber bearer using NZS 3603 1993;
e) Structural Design analysis of wooden post using NZS 3603 1993;
f) Structural Design analysis of concrete foundation using NZS 3101 2006;
g) Preparation of complete set of engineering plans for one storey timber house.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The research topic was chosen to find ways and means of making the design and
construction of Timber house structure in the rural areas being able to withstand wind load
during Tropical Cyclone in Fiji of Category 5 in nature. With the assistance of local
professional engineers and builders to better understand the need for affordable upgrading
of existing single storey timber structures in the rural areas.
RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
LOW COST HOUSING
(SECTION H OF HOME BUILDING MANUAL FIJI)
Limitation:
• Maximum design wind speed 55 m/s
• Maximum building height 2.7m
• Minimum building height 2.4m
• Building width 5.1m
• Building length 4.8m
MEMBER SIZES
(ALL IN MILLIMETERS)
• Root Cladding; Lightweight (eg sheet roof cladding)
• Rafters; Minimum stress grade: F8 Call
dimensions 150 x 50 Spacing (mm) 900
• Beams; Minimum stress grade FB Call dimensions
200 x 75
• Purlins; Not required
TIMBER FRAMED WALLS
(ALL IN MILLIMETERS)
• Top plate; 50 x 100
• Bottom plates; 50 x 100
• Noggins; 50 x 100
• Studs; Minimum stress grade F8 Cal
dimensions 100 x 50
• Internal wall studs; Minimum stress grade F8 Call
dimensions 100 x 40
MASONRY WALLS
(ALL IN MILLIMETERS)
• 150 mm partially reinforced masonry blockwall
• Vertical Reinforcement; D12 @ 600 mm centres
• Horizontal Reinforcement; 4 D16 bars in 150 x 400 concrete bond beam at top and
bottom of wall
• Lintel; 150 x 200 concrete or masonry with 2 D16 bars R6 ties @ 600 mm centers
• Intermediate bond beam; Not required
DAMAGES DURING CYCLONE ON A HOUSES
(POST-WINSTON ASSESSMENT BY FIE)
• Guttering, downpipe, fascia boards and flashing- most common damages being dislocated, distortion
and blown out.
• Windows and doors- broken window and damaged door ae common modes of failure, due to
construction material and debris flying.
• Roof cladding- due to poor detailing such as purlin spacing far at centers. Damages such as roof cladding
partially or completely blown out.
• Various failures forms for the roof framing, roof framing elements being fully, partially or localized
failure- Rafter and truss hold down for timber failed for it being fixed poorly using old construction
technique such as no.8 wire and screw nail fixture over wall plate. The materials for roof framing and its
condition is a major contributor to failure, quite common was timber being split, rotting and termite
infesting. Purlin fixed with skew nail and no.8 wire. Poor truss connection and the sizes of members.
DAMAGES DURING CYCLONE ON A HOUSES
(POST-WINSTON ASSESSMENT BY FIE)
• Ceiling including the non-structural items- such as electrical lightings, where water damage to the
ceiling linings, electrical components and so froth being the damages caused.
• Walls- timber walls suffered major damages where it was found that it had poor fixing at
connections and bracing was poor in a deteriorated condition of the material because of age. Though
the concrete walls performed well the strength and its stability should be still checked in detail as
sometimes because of poor construction method and lack of reinforcement causes collapse.
• Structures being completely or damaged badly, partially or fully damaged- Connection, tie
down and deteriorated components and age is a common factor.
• Site servicing- water tanks, power lines and so forth.
SOLUTION
(POST-WINSTON ASSESSMENT BY FIE)
• Construction solutions- higher quality material used it is sufficient enough. Need for contractors to
construct a house that needs the requirements and the design specification outlined by a designer, it shouldn’t
be so that it only meets the minimum requirements which is represented and required in the building codes.
• Continuous Load Path- develop a continuous load path through out a structure from the roof through to the
walls and pass it to the foundation. It is important that an engineer must design connections from roof to the
walls and from the wall to the foundation.
• Roof to wall- to limit the causes of damage due to overhangs, it could be built by lightweight materials.
Roofs to wall connection, it is the first part at which the continuous load path for resisting wind load.
Connectors such as the straps used for cyclone, tie downs implemented, the nails used, roofing screws and
bolts among others, are developed.
SOLUTION
(POST-WINSTON ASSESSMENT BY FIE)
• Anchorage of the structure to the foundation- The connection that is present in this continuous path
is the stud to plate connection and the plate to foundation connection. It might be less common for
the failure in foundation when compared to failure in roof or wall, it can occur. Cracks in the
foundation must be sealed with appropriate approved epoxy for a better chance in the reduction of
failure in foundation. Furthermore, making sure that tie and bolt anchorage be installed properly
from the frame of wall deep into foundation is important to reduce the probability of failure like
overturning.
CONCLUSION
Thus, after completing this Design Capstone Project, it will help me better understand the design, cost
estimating and construction of a single storey residential timber house to withstand the severe effect of
Tropical cyclone of Category 5 in nature using the recommended Design Standard of the Fiji
Technical Committee. It can also become as a catalyst by Fiji Professional Engineers by improving
my Design Capstone Project. And, If accepted by the construction industry, it can help Fiji in building
a safe timber house in the rural areas to withstand the wind actions of a similar Tropical cyclone of
Category 5 in nature. It will also help the Fiji government in the alleviation of the damage caused by
Tropical Cyclone in the rural areas.
THANK YOU
