REFERENCES:

Tiger Container. (2016). What is Cargtecture. Retrieved from

https://www.tigercontainers.com/blog/what-is-cargotecture/. January 16, 2020.

Wikipedia. (n.d.) Shipping Container Architecture.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shipping_container_architecture. January 16, 2020.

Radwan, A.H. (2015). Containers Architecture. Retrieved from

https://www.ijser.org/researchpaper/Containers_Architecture_Reusing_Shipping
_Containers_in_making_creative_Architectural_Spaces.pdf. January 16, 2020.

Gateway. (n.d). the main Components of a Shipping Container. January 16,

2020.
 CONTAINER VAN
I. INTRODUCTION
II. OBJECTIVES
a. To describe what is a Container Van or a Shipping Container and its
relation to Cargotecture.
b. To identify and understand the properties of a Container van in relation to
Engineering and Architecture Profession.
c. To enumerate and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a
Container van being used in Architectural Construction.
d. To
III. CONTENT
a. Container Van or A shipping container

It is a steel frame-usually cuboid- with a suitable strength to support

large cargo transits and stowage. There are various types of containers,
varying from refillable to universally standardize. For global trade, the term
container is directly associated to a shopping container which can be
loaded onto a great number of transportation options without requiring
unpacking of its contents (Radwan, 2015).
Furthermore, returning empty containers to their original location is
extremely costly (Miller, 2019), therefore these containers are usually
neglected by their owner companies with about twenty million containers
are neglected around the globe at all times, with over one million having
no purpose other than taking valuable space (Radwan, 2015).
Henceforth, due to millions of Shipping Container being unused and
is an obstruction to certain area in the world, come Cargotecture.
According to Miller, 2019, Cargotecture is the use of shipping containers for
creating fully functional buildings whether they are for a business or for a
home. It was coined in 2003 and it is used to describe a building that is either
partially or fully constructed using recycled ISO shipping containers.
Cargotecture is also the art of taking one or more shipping containers and
 creating a design, complete with windows and doors cut out, that will
accommodate the needs of the occupant.

b. Properties of a Container van

i. Dimension
Dimensions Length Width Height
3m External 3.10m 2.44m 2.59m
3m Internal 2.98m 2.35m 2.38m
6m External 6.05m 2.44m 2.59m
6m Internal 5.90m 2.35m 2.38m
12m External 12.19m 2.44m 2.59m
12m Internal 12.01m 2.35m 2.38m
Door Size 2.34m 2.28m

Specifications 3m Container 6m Container 12m

Container
Inside Cubic 15.4 m3 33.2 m3 67m3
Capacity
Max Gross Non payload 30.480 kg 30.480 kg
Weight
Tare weight 1500kg 2360 kg 3980kg

ii. Load property

Accordingly, as a structure, its designed to resist forces as
mentioned that exceeds the forces being developed in
many architectural spaces like residences, offices, dorms,
etc.
 iii. Structural Property

PRIMARY STRUCTURE COMPONENTS

Corner Fitting. Internationally standard fitting (casting) located at the eight corners of the
container structure to provide means of handling, stacking and securing containers.
Specifications are defined in ISO 1161.

Corner Post. Vertical structural member located at the four corners of the container and
to which the corner fittings are joined.

Door Header. Lateral structural member situated over the door opening and joined to
the corner fittings in the door end frame.

Door Sill. Lateral structural member at the bottom of the door opening and joined to the
corner fittings in the door end frame.

Rear End Frame. The structural assembly at the rear (door end) of the container consisting
of the door sill and header joined at the rear corner fittings to the rear corner posts to
form the door opening.
Top End Rail. Lateral
structural member
situated at the top
edge of the front end
(opposite the door
end) of the container
and joined to the
corner fittings.

Bottom End Rail.

Lateral structural
member situated at
the bottom edge of
the front end
(opposite the door
end) of the container
and joined to the
corner fittings.

Front End Frame. The

structural assembly at
the front end
(opposite the door
end) of the container
consisting of top and bottom end rails joined at the front corner fittings to the front corner
posts.

Top Side Rail. Longitudinal structural member situated at the top edge of each side of
the container and joined to the corner fittings of the end frames.

Bottom Side Rail. Longitudinal structural member situated at the bottom edge of each
side of the container and joined to the corner fittings to form a part of the understructure.

Cross Member. Lateral structural member attached to the bottom side rails that supports
the flooring.

Understructure. An assembly consisting of bottom side and end rails, door sill (when
applicable), cross members and forklift pockets.

Forklift Pocket. Reinforced tunnel (installed in pairs) situated transversely across the
understructure and providing openings in the bottom side rails at ISO prescribed positions
to enable either empty capacity or empty and loaded capacity container handling by
forklift equipment.

Forklift Pocket Strap. The plate welded to the bottom of each forklift pocket opening or
part of bottom siderail. The forklift pocket strap is a component of the forklift pocket.
Gooseneck Tunnel. Recessed area in the forward portion of the understructure to
accommodate transport by a gooseneck chassis. This feature is more common in forty
foot and longer containers.

EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC VIEW

Walls, Roof, and Floor. Refer to the Figure

Fiberglass Reinforced Plywood (FRP). A material constructed of laminates of fiberglass,

polyester resins, and plywood, also known as sandwich panel.

Wall Panel. Corrugated or flat sheet steel, a riveted or bonded aluminum sheet and wall
post assembly, FRP, foam and beam, aluminum, or honeycomb material that forms the
side wall or end wall.

Wall Post. Interior or exterior intermediate vertical component to which sheet aluminum
or steel is riveted or welded to form a wall panel.

Wall Beam. Encapsulated vertical component to which sheet aluminum or steel is

bonded to form a wall panel.This is found in foam and beam panels.
Marking Panel. A side wall panel of a corrugated steel configured with a flat portion used
for the display of markings and placards. (4.2A)

Lining. Plywood or other like material attached to the interior side and end wall to protect
the walls and/or cargo and facilitate loading operations.

Lining Shield. A strip of thin metal installed at the bottom of the interior walls to protect
the lower portion of the lining from damage by materials handling equipment during
loading or unloading operations.

Kick Plate. A common name for a lining shield installed on the lower portion of the interior
front end wall.

Ventilator. Two or more devices permanently attached to the side or end wall panel that
provides openings for the exchange of air (but not water) between the outside and the
container interior. (4.2A)

Roof Panel. Corrugated or flat sheet steel, sheet aluminum, FRP, or foam and beam and
aluminum honeycomb panel that forms the top closure of the container. (4.2A,)

Roof Bow. Lateral non-structural member attached to the top side rails and supporting
the underside of the roof panel. Roof bows used with removable cover (tarp) assembly
are unattached. Not all container designs require roof bows.

Roof Beam. Encapsulated horizontal component to which sheet aluminum or steel is

bonded to form a roof panel.

Roof Reinforcement Plate. An additional metal plate on the interior or exterior of the roof
panel adjacent to the top corner fittings that provides protection of the roof panel or top
rail components from misaligned handling equipment.

Tarp. Jargon for "tarpaulin" which is a waterproof and flexible fabric used for covering the
top of an open-top container. This covering is referred to as a "Tilt" in some countries.

TIR Cable. Plastic sheathed wire rope that is designed in accordance with TIR customs
convention (Refer to paragraph 4.5.6) and is threaded through the welded loops on the
sides, end panels and door panels of an open-top container to secure the tarp.

Flooring. Material that is supported by the cross members and bottom rails to form a load
bearing surface for the cargo. The flooring is usually constructed of laminated wood
planks, plywood sheets, or other composition material and is screwed or bolted to the
cross members. Some containers have welded steel or aluminum flooring, sandwhich
panels or a combination of metal and wood. (4.2A)

Joint Strip. A formed steel or aluminum strip (usually hat-shaped section) installed
between joints of the plywood sheet flooring or joints of the plywood sheet lining to help
integrate and support the edges of the plywood. (4.2A)

Threshold plate. Plate forward of the door sill to protect the entrance area of the
container floor. This plate is commonly referred to as a crash plate.
Steps. Folding steps are found on some ISO Shelters and are used to gain access to the
roof. They must be folded up prior to transporting shelter.

Sandwich Panel. A type of fixed or removable panel construction used in ISO Shelters
consisting of a thin inner and outer sheet aluminum skin, bonded or fastened to a core
constructed of either honeycomb or structural foam and aluminum beams.

Striker Plate. An additional metal plate on the exterior of the roof panel adjacent to the
top corner fittings that provides protection to the roof panel or top rail components from
misaligned handling equipment.

Sling Pad. An additional metal plate on the exterior of the roof panel located in the
center of the roof panel that provides protection to the panel from lowered handling
equipment.

iv. Life Span

Based on the use intended for them, most containers are

made to fulfil at least a one-decade lifespan, with three decades
being the chief lifespan target. They are made to be extremely
resilient and secure to facilitate safe cargo transit through a long
distance. Most containers in use these days are expected to have
finished a one-decade lifespan. Through application of reasonable
maintenance, a lifespan far exceeding the anticipated figures can
be expected.

v.
c. Advantages and Disadvantages of a Container van (Cargotecture)
i. Pros
1. Cost. Cargo container structures are significantly cheaper to
make as compared to similarly sized structures made with traditional
materials – this is a major draw factor. A used shipping container can
go for as low as $1200 making them quite easy to acquire.
Furthermore, because all the structural work associated with building
the structure is eliminated, someone can construct their own
building as a DIY project making it even more affordable.

2. Eco-friendliness. Because it’s cheaper to buy a new shipping

container rather than relocate an old one for re-use, old shipping
containers are piling up in yards around the globe. Reusing them
saves the energy that would be used for melting them for reuse and
also creates a smaller environmental footprint as compared to
conventional building materials such as cement, wood, and brick.
 3. Ease and speed of construction. Building using containers is so
easy that a person can do it by themselves. Building something is as
easy as assembling several modules to create the final piece.
Modules can be modified offsite before being assembled on site.
The time taken to finish a project is also reduced significantly to just
a few days.

4. Off-site construction. Shipping containers are very convenient

for plots that are not suitable to build on for whatever reason since
the structure can be built in a workshop and delivered to the site
ready to move in to. This is especially beneficial for remote areas
where building materials and labour might not be readily available.

5. Structural soundness. Shipping containers are very rugged and

are designed to withstand the rough conditions of sea and land
transport. Their robustness makes them ideal for constructing
buildings that are hurricane and earthquake proof. This makes them
the perfect solution for building in disaster-prone areas.

ii. Cons

Even with all these benefits, shipping container architecture also has
some few drawbacks. These include:

1. Building permits. Although quite a number of local governments

are embracing this new-age method of construction, it’s still difficult
to get a permit to build this kind of buildings in a lot of places. Steel
structures are currently accepted for industrial construction, but it’s
still quite an uncommon material in everyday construction. For this
reason, if you are looking to building a container structure, be sure
to check with your local authorities first before you make the plunge
and commit your finances. This is however bound to change as more
people embrace and understand this method of construction.

2. Internal temperature control. Because they are essentially metal

boxes, shipping containers are very poor at internal temperature
regulation. This can often be solved by installing the proper type of
insulation and paint, though this could also lead to the use of non-
environmentally friendly solutions such as ACs. Insulation will also eat
up some of the already limited space inside the container.

3. Health hazards. Shipping containers are not designed for

human habitation, so sometimes substances harmful to humans
might be used in their manufacture. These include solvents, paints
and insulation materials. The containers might also have been used
to transport toxic or radioactive materials whose traces might remain
after they are retired. Do some research on the components used to
construct the container and the cargo it transported before buying
it for construction.

4. Roof Weaknesses. Although the two ends of a container are

extremely strong, the roof is not. A limit of 300 kg is recommended.

Container Van as a livable space

USES:
• Affordable housing
• Press boxes
• Emergency hurricane shelters for thoroughbred horses
• Concession stands
• Fire training facility
• Military training facility
• Emergency shelters
• School buildings
• Apartment and office buildings
• Artists' studios
• Stores
• Moveable exhibition spaces on rails
• Telco hubs
• Bank vaults
• Medical clinics
• Radar stations
• Shopping malls
• Sleeping rooms
• Recording studios
• Abstract art
• Transportable factories
• Modular data centers (e.g. Sun Modular Datacenter,
Portable Modular Data Center)
• Experimental labs
• Combatant temporary containment (ventilated)
• Bathrooms
• Showers
• Starbucks stores (e.g. 6350 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL 60660
USA)
• Workshops
• Intermodal sealed storage on ships, trucks, and trains
• House foundations on unstable seismic zones
• Elevator/stairwell shafts
• Block roads and keep protesters away, as photo journalized
during the Pakistan Long March
• Hotels
• Construction trailers
• Mine site accommodations
• Exploration camp
• Aviation maintenance facilities for the United States Marine
Corps when loaded onto the SS Wright (T-AVB-3) or the SS Curtiss (T-
AVB-4)
• RV campers
• Food trucks
• Hydroponics farms
• Battery storage units
• Temporary prisons