JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 36
environment
A modular composite houseboat for tourism in Kerala
The composite houseboat that won the JEC Asia Innovation Award 2012 in the Marine category was developed to meet tourism promotion needs in the southern state of Kerala, India, with minimum impact on the environment. Traditionally, these kinds of boats were made of wood and used for the transport of rice. Later on, they were converted into houseboats for tourists.
By
K. Munshi, Professor, Industrial Design / Mobility & Vehicle Design Director, CTech labs Pvt. Ltd IIT Bombay, India
T
he houseboats found in Kerala as a mainstay of the local tourist industry were initially developed from rice boats. They have hardly changed in terms of design, materials or manufacturing technique since their birth, about 40 years ago. They virtually never evolved, probably due to the mutual contradiction between the preservation of cultural identity/ethnicity and modern technology.
Interior plan
A win-win design
Finally, a win-win design emerged, one that kept the former shape intact while using advanced materials. A multi-level, cross-disciplinary product development process was adopted to develop this
Exploded view - showing modular construction
aesthetic, ergonomic, cost-effective and rapidly manufactured houseboat for the backwaters of Kerala. The hull and superstructure, that were traditionally built from heavy wood (thus contributing to deforestation) and steel structures, were replaced with “smart” modular composite structures. Traditional production on land was replaced with a dual land-water factory. The modules are built in a land factory and then assembled on a hull (27 m long, 4.5 m wide, including housing engine and all the service units) floating on water, thus optimizing the use of space. This solution significantly reduces labour requirements, both
quantitatively and qualitatively (reducing fatigue and cost), thus speeding up production. The right choice of materials (resins and reinforcements) sharply lowers maintenance costs while considerably enhancing durability. The rusting of iron and degradation of bamboo mats are eliminated by the use of glass-reinforced plastics (GRP), a rust-proof material unaffected by salinity.
A modular superstructure
The modular superstructure of the composite houseboat comprises two curved supporting panels (about 4 m x 3.5 m) with window openings, an inner ceiling module (about 4 m x 2 m) and a pagodastyle roof module to match the local architectural style. The panels are lined with 1-mm-thick FRP sheets covered with decorative textile to create a warm interior ambience. The modular partitions are made from composites with a wood textured finish. The flooring is
36 jec composites magazine / No75 August - September 2012
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012
Cover
Edito
Point of view: prepreg
Contents
Agenda of Events
COMPANY & BUSINESS
- In Brief
- Strategy
APPLICATIONS
- Automotive
- Building & construction
MARKET
- Human resources
- Glass fibre
- Thermoset
FEATURE MARINE
- Sustainability
- Natural fibre
- Sandwich
- Lightening
- Material
- Environment
- Underwater
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
- Heating
- NDT
TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATIONS
- Testing
- Thermoplastic
Index
In the world
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - Cover
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 2
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - Edito
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - Point of view: prepreg
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 5
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - Contents
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 7
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - Agenda of Events
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 9
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - Ad1
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - Ad2
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - In Brief
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 11
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - Strategy
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 13
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - Automotive
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 15
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 16
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - Building & construction
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - Human resources
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - Glass fibre
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 20
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 21
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - Thermoset
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 23
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 24
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - Sustainability
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 26
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 27
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - Natural fibre
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 29
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - Sandwich
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 31
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - Lightening
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 33
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - Material
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 35
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 36
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - Environment
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 38
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 39
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - Underwater
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 41
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - Heating
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 43
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 44
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 45
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 46
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 47
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - NDT
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 49
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 50
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 51
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 52
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - Testing
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 54
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - - Thermoplastic
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 56
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - Index
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - In the world
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 59
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #75 - August/September 2012 - 60
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