Research Design Seminar (CASE)
This Course situates students into current and ongoing PhD and Professional Research. Because of this, ones experience and work in the course directly relates to the research and stage of that research they are dropped into.
I was fortunate to work on the Agricultural By-Products (ABP) research dealing with coconut farming waste generated within the hot humid climate belt of the world. The research seeks to re purpose these materials into a composite building material that can be used to supplement current imported building materials or remove them entirely.
ABSTRACT - Humans produce more waste annually that we ever have in history (World Bank Organization, 20171). In the hot humid climate belt, coconut husk waste is extremely prevalent. Our bio-materials research looks at using this waste to create a unitized panel system with multiple waste mitigation applications through the up cycling of these materials for its constituents. This system has applications for improved acoustics, modular brick units, and potentially as a particle board composite replacement. An increase in potential through optimal composite percentages for mass-to-strength ratios and loading potentials may lead to an increase in usage. Analysis of structurally effective geometries, loading forces, and potential for structurally efficient unitized built forms, will also build on the systems application. These parameters will be tested through both dig-ital and physical means of inquiry. Molds and physical modules will be produced for testing in a hydraulic press along with digital software tests of form and module system performance in physics based programs. Structural testing is a necessary step in all building methods, but typically happens at a later stage of design development. By thoroughly understanding and optimizing the systems formal and structural capabilities at an earlier stage, we hope to create a viable replacement for current building systems in the hot-humid climate belt prior to this design development. Thereby significantly reducing the waste generated through the construction process and up cycling existing underused waste streams in those climates.
PROFESSOR: Joshua Draper
YEAR: Fall 2017
COURSE: Graduate Research Design Seminar
Center for Architecture Science and Ecology Research
