e-Course on
Improving Wind/Cyclone Resistance of Buildings
About the Course
Introduction
It is a basic e-learning course that offers awareness and understanding about wind/cyclone resistant house construction.
The coastal areas of India receive a number of cyclonic wind storms practically every year causing devastation over larger areas due to (i) high speed winds, which destroy traditional homes and uproot trees and electric line supports (ii) floods, caused by heavy rains, and (iii) storm surge waters, first flowing towards the land then receding back towards the sea, drowning people, destroying homes, agriculture, trees etc., whatever comes in the path of the flowing waters. High speed wind storms on mainland also many times cause severe damage to buildings, particularly light weight roofs, free standing boundary walls, etc. and lifeline infrastructure such as power and communication towers and lines. Horticultural crops suffer badly in both cases at sea coast and inland under high speed winds.
Although the destruction during cyclones or high winds occurs in the traditional non-engineered buildings built using local clay, stone, Adobe or agro based materials, the engineered buildings having high sheeted roofs also suffer huge damage unless appropriate precautions are taken in design as well as construction. Even in heavy construction, substantial non-structural damage occurs to doors, windows, cladding wall panels, etc.
This course deals with the construction of wind/cyclone resistant buildings of both engineered and non-engineered types. The proposed measures are generally applicable to wind resistant construction, but have particularly been framed keeping in view the regions having wind velocity greater than or equal to 39 m/sec. The basic wind speed map of India is given in National Building Code 2016 and IS 875 (Part-III):2015. The same has been redrawn for various States and Union Territories on 1:2.5 million scale in the Vulnerability Atlas of India (2019) of BMTPC and used here.
The course also highlights such additional issues or provisions which are specifically useful and/or required for cyclone affected regions. To improve the wind/cyclone resistance of existing buildings, some retrofitting measures have also been presented. In view of the need for cyclone and tsunami shelters in the coastal areas within a belt of about 10 km adjacent to the sea costs the design aspects of the shelters are also covered in the Course.
Objectives
The objectives of this e-learning programme are:
· to briefly explain the action of wind on buildings and state the general principles of planning and design;
· to bring out details to prevent the non-structural damage in the various buildings;
· to deal with the safety aspects of traditional non-engineered buildings; and
· to suggest retrofitting details which could be adopted in existing buildings to minimize the damages under high winds. Suggestions are also included for safety against storm surge.
Curriculum
The course curriculum covers general principles for safety of housing from wind hazard and detailing for minimising damage in engineered as well as non-engineered buildings including various clauses of Indian Standards on Wind resistant design of new buildings or improving resistance of existing building stock.
Eligibility / Target Group
Any person who has successfully completed and in possession of a minimum qualification of B.E. / B.Tech (Civil) or B.Arch. (or equivalent) or Diploma in Civil with 5 years’ experience and final year students of Civil Engineering and Architecture shall be eligible to take up the Course. Scanned copy of Degree/Diploma certificate (or equivalent)/College ID Card, to be submitted with application.
Expected outcome
Basic understanding about
· Tropical Cyclones
· Wind Pressures on Buildings and Storm Surge Heights
· Types of Damage during Cyclones
· Planning Aspects
· Design Procedure for Wind Resistant Buildings
· Non-Engineered Construction
· Retrofitting of Existing Buildings against Cyclones
· Design of Cyclone-Cum-Tsunami Shelters
Admission
· Admission to the e-course shall be online only.
· Applicants need to apply for the e-course by filling up the application form.
· After submission of duly filled-in online form, an email will be generated to applicant regarding successful submission of application form.
· After verification of the details by administrator, an email will be sent to applicant containing user id and machine generated password.
· Applicant is advised to change the password immediately.
Examination
The e-course will help individuals to comprehend and move at their own pace. There are no restrictions on duration of the course. At the end of the course, there will be final examination which will be MCQ based. An applicant will get maximum 3 attempts to complete the final examination. If an applicant fails after 3 attempts, applicant will have to go through the course again from the beginning. On successful completion of the course, a self-generated digital certificate will be awarded to the applicant.
Course Material
The basic course material is based on the “Guidelines on Improving Wind/Cyclone Resistant of Housing” published by BMTPC.