Structural Experimental Design of a High-Altitude Provisional Dwelling Built with Timber

This article refers to the conception, design, experimentation and optimization of a timber structure for the construction of a temporary dwelling for the high altitude Andean region of southern Peru. The objective was to design a modular structure, which can be easily assembled and disassembled, adapted to the characteristics of the soil at 4800 meters above sea level, and able to hold insulation panels made of natural fibers-totora. A critical part of this structure was the design of the foundation, due to the hard soil of this region. The structural design of the module had particularities because it is a temporary and non-conventional dwelling. A seismic spectrum design for temporary dwelling was elaborated, with a return period of 50 years and 10% of exceedance probability. A maximum velocity of 130 km/h was considered for the wind design, with maximum resultant pressure and suction of 665Pa and 500Pa, respectively. I-shaped composite wall studs were used for increasing resistance to lateral loads and holding the "totora" insulation panels. This is part of the research project "Design and validation of a constructive technology of provisional housing for the high-altitude Andean region of southern Peru".