Standardized structural design for post-disaster modular housing units under clustered environmental loads

This thesis addresses current shortcomings in the post-disaster housing response from a structural engineering perspective, proposing a new methodology to approach a multi-design standardized solution. Known environmental loading taken from building codes is analyzed over the entire United States to create a data-set that describes the distinct loading conditions of each region. Loads are clustered into grouping that suggest a single housing typology could address the structural need of the group. Additional non-structural data is added in consideration of performance-driven design metrics that are not structural by nature. To prove viability of the methodology, a case study was implemented to propose a structural design for a selected cluster of regions. Performance-based design was implemented through parametric modeling tools considering multiple objectives including structural weight, transportation logistics, interior thermal comfort, and off-grid utilities. The exercise demonstrated that the cluster analysis serves as a practicable tool for intelligently informed standardized housing design.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Stephen, Courtney P.(Courtney Paige)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Caitlin T. Mueller.

• Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/121888

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/121888