Deakin University
Browse

Applicability of drywall technologies for disaster-induced housing reconstruction

journal contribution
posted on 2025-01-21, 05:12 authored by Nimasha Dilukshi HulathdoowageNimasha Dilukshi Hulathdoowage, Chandanie Hadiwattage
Purpose The sluggish progression of disaster-induced housing reconstruction (DHR) in Sri Lanka provoked the assessment of drywall technologies as a mode of improving efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the applicability of drywall technologies to adopt a technical solution to DHR. Design/methodology/approach The research contextualized a mixed research design via a case-study strategy integrating semi-structured interviews, documentary reviews and observations. Two cases based on the 2016 Samasarakanda landslide were investigated. Within-case-analysis and cross-case-analysis were performed to derive conclusions. Findings Enablers for drywall technologies application are time saving, cost-saving, less water consumption and logistical easiness. Less strength of drywall technologies will not be a critical obstruction owing to the expected disaster resilience from the concrete frame and the subsequent requirement of non-load bearing walls for landslide DHR. Labor source, community acceptance, durability are potential settings of barriers. Observing model houses, researching the resistance of drywall technologies to landslide-induced vibrations and impulsive waves are some further research areas discovered. Research limitations/implications Empirical findings are centered on the 2016 Samasarakanda DHR. Practical implications Because of many issues in updating guidelines, drawings and BOQs, a protocol should be gazetted in the parliament to improve its updating flexibility allowing provisions to apply novel technologies for DHR. Originality/value Being one of the very first of this kind of research, contextually, the research is original. This study provokes insightful investigation of drywall technologies for DHR beyond its overlooked properties. This study reveals many wall construction challenges of the 2016 Samasarakanda DHR which have not yet been explored in research.

History

Journal

International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment

Volume

13

Pagination

498-515

Location

Bingley, Eng.

Open access

  • No

ISSN

1759-5908

eISSN

1759-5916

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Issue

4

Publisher

Emerald Publishing