1/30. technical comparison of tent specifications

Transcription

1 UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE 1/30 shelterproject.org report title technical comparison of tent specifications date published October 2002 who undertook the work The work was undertaken by Joseph Ashmore and Tom Corsellis. They are part of the shelterproject.org group: shelterproject.org is funded by the Department For International Development (DFID) and is associated with the University of Cambridge in undertaking two projects to: 1) develop, with the aid community, the first detailed field guidelines for the physical planning and shelter sector (funded by DFID); and 2) develop, with the aid community, a full understanding of shelter in cold climates (funded by EPSRC) Organisations participating with shelterproject.org in the review and implementation of these projects include DFID, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNDP, The Sphere Project, IOM, ICRC, IFRC, CARE, MSF, LWF, and CRS, with Oxfam GB acting as lead collaboration agency. See for more information on these and other projects. acknowledgements ICRCEPSRCUniversity of CambridgeRachel Battilana Kate Crawford Ilan KelmanPeter ManfieldAllan McRobieRobin SpenceOlivia Stantonshelterproject.org the full document is available at associated with the university of cambridge for research projects info@shelterproject.org

2 2/30 1 executive summary 1.1 introduction This technical report describes and compares without making analysis the tent and blanket specifications from several major aid organisations. It is not complete and represents the first stage in the compilation of shelter equipment specifications. The specifications discussed are taken from both catalogues and from detailed procurement specifications of the various agencies involved. The tents discussed are designed for a variety of purposes from family shelter to medical centres and warehousing. It is hoped that this report will help to improve the design, specification and use of tents following conflict and natural disasters. The tents included in this report vary in size and intended use but fall into the following two broad categories: 1) family shelter 2) general tents for use as field hospitals, warehousing, community shelter, e.t.c. This first draft contains shelter specification from the following organisations: IAPSO (UNDP), ICRC, IFRC, IOM, MSF, OXFAM, UNHCR and UN/OCHA. This draft will be updated with further specifications as they are obtained, and with comments from peer review as to scope and content. This report was compiled as part of shelterproject.org research, funded by the EPSRC (The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UK), and DFID (Department for International Development). 1.2 findings The intent of this report is to present and compare technical information but not to include analysis and make recommendations from it. The following specifications from IAPSO (UNDP), ICRC, IFRC, IOM, MSF, OXFAM, UNHCR and UN/OCHA are presented in annexes B,C and D. 1) Tent specifications are summarised in annex B. 2) Material specifications for cotton tents are summarised in annex C. 3) Blanket specifications are summarised in annex D. Section 7 looks at the form of tents, section 8 looks at detailed specifications and section 9 looks at blankets. There are two types of specification used by aid organisations 1) detailed design specifications which define the details such as the number of stitches pre meter for fabric and the type of fabric being used. 2) performance specifications these may or may not refer to international standards such as the ISO (international organisation for standardisation) and provide a means for testing the goods. 1.3 key conclusions Between organisations, there is a wide diversity of tent and blanket specifications being defined at headquarters level. This follows through to the field, where it has been observed that the same case load receive a diversity of tents on the ground intended for the same purpose. Of the specifications investigated, blanket specifications are more consistent between agencies. It is hoped that this document will continue to grow and embrace the specifications of other shelter

3 3/30 related non-food items (NFIs) from other agencies. It is also hoped that the following discussions will lead to increased collaboration in the design and specification of shelter items to improve the effectiveness of shelter activities in the field.

4 4/30 2 table of contents report title date published who undertook the mission acknowledgements 1 executive summary 1.1 introduction 1.2 findings 1.3 key conclusions 2 table of contents 3 introduction 3.1 introduction 3.2 scope 4 objectives and purpose 4.1 objectives 4.2 purpose 5 methodology and standards 5.1 introduction 5.2 methodology 5.3 standards specifications spatial requirements materials standards 5.4 constraints and limitations 6 existing conditions 6.1 introduction 6.2 climate 6.3 procurement and logistics 7 results tents comparison 7.1 introduction 7.2 family shelter canvas ridge tents frame tents the canvas rests on a solid frame centre pole tents high walled centre pole tents - low walled hooped tents 7.3 general purpose tents 8 detailed specifications 8.1 introduction 8.2 structure and form 8.3 material and stitching 8.4 ropes and fixings 8.5 poles 8.6 pegs 8.7 valance 8.8 doors, flues and windows 8.9 groundsheet

5 8.10 additional details 8.11 packing and labelling 8.12 accessories 8.13 climatic considerations 5/30 9 other shelter materials 9.1 introduction 9.2 blankets and quilts 9.3 stoves 9.4 plastic sheeting 9.5 clothing 9.6 flooring 10 conclusions 10.1 introduction 10.2 future directions family shelters agency support infrastructure 10.3 NFIs annexes annex a annex b annex c annex d annex e annex f glossary table of tent specifications in this document material specifications blanket specifications insulation terms distribution list

6 6/30 3 introduction 3.1 introduction Following a field survey of emergency shelter in IDP camps in Afghanistan 1, it was seen that IDPs in the same camps were receiving different shelter responses, from semi permanent adobe structures to tents. Between the tents, there was seen to be a significant variation in design and quality. There is a danger that the variation in tent specifications will lead to 1) distributing markedly different tents to people with the same needs. 2) distributing inappropriate tents leading to higher costs and human suffering 3) distributing tents when local solutions are more appropriate, leading to unsustainable solutions and higher costs. This technical report examines the tent and blanket specifications from several major aid organisations. The specifications discussed are taken from both catalogues and from detailed procurement specifications of the various agencies involved. The tents discussed are designed for a variety of purposes from family shelter to medical centres and warehousing. Tents involved in this survey are those from the equipment catalogues of IAPSO (UNDP), ICRC / IFRC, MSF and OXFAM as well as the procurement specifications for recent tent orders from IFRC and IOM. The intention of this document is that it will continue to grow in the future as additional specifications are added. 3.2 scope This document covers: 1) family shelter for family groups comprising of up to 8 adults depending on the tent in question. 2) general tents for use as field hospitals, warehousing, community shelter, e.t.c. 3) blankets This report does not cover a history of the development or use of tents or blankets, nor an analysis of the tents and blankets described. It aims instead to provide a technical comparison between tents. 1 Overview of shelter in 6 refugee camps in Herat province, Afghanistan, march 2002 a shelterproject publication

7 7/30 4 objectives and purpose 4.1 objectives The objectives of this report are to: 1) collate design details of shelters 2) provide a technical background for a discussion on shelter specifications 3) share technical information on shelter specifications between agencies 4.2 purpose It is recognised that tents are not always the shelter solution of choice, but there are many occasions when they are required. In this practical context, it is important that those that are deployed are well adapted to he need, and the many social, climatic, procurement and logistic needs. shelterproject supports the use of local materials and construction techniques wherever possible. Practically there is a considerable variation in tent specifications, both between catalogues and those deployed in the field. This purpose of this report is to help identify what those differences are and to improve coordination and improve cost effectiveness in emergency shelter response.

8 8/30 5 methodology and standards 5.1 introduction 5.2 methodology The report was compiled with the kind support of IAPSO (UNDP), ICRC, IFRC, IOM, MSF, OXFAM, UNHCR, and USAID. Specifications were compiled and compared. Results are presented in chapters 7 and standards specifications Some of the specifications were found to be performance based and employ international standards, whilst other specifications were found to be more prescriptive. The diversity in ways of specifying tents may be that many of the tent manufacturers are not accustomed to manufacturing to international standards, but are more in the habit of working with known materials. For this reason many of the specifications define the weight and the density of materials rather than the standards to which they must conform spatial requirements Using the UNHCR 2 standards of 3.5m 2 per person of covered space for hot climates and 4.5m 2 per person for cold climates, and assuming an average family size of 5 to 7 persons, any family shelter should have a covered area of a minimum of 17.5m 2 to 24.5m 2 for hot climates, and 22.5m 2 to 31.5m 2 for cold climates. The Sphere Minimum Standards in Disaster Response 3 offer the same indicators. It should be noted that it is not possible to reach his coverage with a standard 6x4m plastic sheet, if walls as well as a roof are required and if a family size of 5 is assumed materials standards The International Standards Organisation 4 provides a set of international standards that are applicable to tents for the specification and testing of materials. British standards also provide a comparable set of standards. The International standard for tents all relate to properties of the fabric ISO Textiles - Fabric for camping tents Specifications. A more detailed description of ISO standards applying to fabric is covered in section 8. Industrial Fabrics Association International gives American standards for fabrics 5. The most relevant specification is on fire retardence of materials Additional standards referred to in tent specifications are Federal standards 6 for measurement units used, and specifications for testing of shipping boxes 7 2 UNHCR handbook for emergencies International Organization for Standardization (ISO), 1, rue de Varembé, Case postale 56, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland 5 CPAI documents are available from the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), CPAI-84 - Specification for Flame Resistant Materials used in Camping Tentage, 345 Cedar Street, Suite 800, St. Paul, MN 55101, (800) FED-STD Preferred Metric Units for General Use by the Federal Government 7 American Society for the Testing of Materials (ASTM) D Standard Practice for Methods of

9 5.3 constraints and limitations 9/30 This report is based on the information that agencies supplied. It is limited to the specifications that it was possible to obtain, although it is intended that it will grow as a document. In this, the first draft, it solely covers tents and blanket specs. 6 existing conditions 6.1 introduction Local materials, construction techniques and skills cannot always meet transitional shelter need in emergencies. In 2001, just under six million refugees and persons of concern to UNHCR worldwide were living in planned camps 8, with an additional 13 million outside camps also requiring shelter support. Internationally tens of thousands of tents and hundreds of thousands of blankets are procured each year by international organisations, costing millions of dollars. They are deployed in a diversity of climates and cultures. This section touches on the procurement and climatic aspects of shelter. 6.2 climate Shelter items are required in a diversity of climates are required in a diversity of climates, both on terms of temperature but also humidity, precipitation and wind. Tents need to be designed for these requirements, whilst staying within the constraints of cost, lead-time, weight and volume. 6.3 manufacturers The majority of tents for relief purposes are currently manufactured in Pakistan, although some production is based in Turkey, Iran, Eastern Europe china and Korea. Many of the specifications reflect the technologies that exist in the countries of manufacture, particularly with respect to cotton canvas. Closing, Sealing, and Reinforcing Fibreboard Shipping Containers and D Standard Practice for Fabrication of Fibreboard Shipping Boxes 8 source UNHCR.

10 10/30 7 results specifications comparison 7.1 introduction This document compares several different types of tent, which are designed and distributed with different purposes. The specifications summarised are not an exhaustive list, but constitute some of the most common tent specifications. The issues raised in the specifications section are common among all tents. This report offers a comparison of shelter and NFI types based upon the specifications of aid organisations. In making this comparison the report presents a series of criteria. These criteria are not intended as interpretive or analytic. Section 7.2 gives an overview of the different forms of family shelter. Section 7.3 gives an overview of the general-purpose tents assessed that are suitable for hospitals, health centres, transit centres and small scale warehousing. Section 7.4 focuses on the various specifications. 7.2 family shelter This section presents an overview of the different types of family shelter included in this report. This report covers a selection of tents for all climates, but does not represent all of the tents that are found in the field. There are many shapes and forms of shelter, which for the purposes of this report we have divided as follows. canvas ridge tents (section 7.2.1) frame tents the canvas rests on a solid frame (section 7.2.2) centre pole tents high walled (section 7.2.3) centre pole tents - low walled (section 7.2.2) hooped tents (section 7.2.5) tents in development (section 7.2.6) In addition to the actual shape of the tents, there is a significant variation in the number of layers involved. Some tents have a single flysheet, others have double flysheet, and others have varying thicknesses of insulation. Overleaf there is a summary table of those tents that are known about, based on specifications with some input from field observation is included on the following page.

11 11/30 summary table of observed tents in the field and tents under development, showing the number of layers involved in each tent

12 12/30

13 13/ canvas ridge tents description Canvas ridge tents are currently used by many agencies as the de facto emergency relief standard. These tents come in both warm climate and cold climate versions. there are many different qualities involved. climate Different versions exist for different climates warm climates - single fly cold climates optional inner fly, desouti (cotton) lining and polyester wadding (the polyester wadding version has been seen in the field in UNICEF and IOM tents, but is not included in this report.) materials involved Cotton or polycotton canvas, poles galvanised steel, painted steel or in some cases bamboo. approx weight KG depending on whether it is a single or double fly tent, with or without a cotton liner. dimensions These tents are generally 4mx4m or 3mx4m. agencies This is the standard relief tent for many agencies. ICRC, IFRC, UNHCR, IOM, UNICEF, MSF, World Vision and many other agencies have purchased this type of tent in significant quantities in the past. inclusion in this report Ridge tents from IAPSO (UNDP), UNHCR and MSF are included in this report frame tents the canvas rests on a solid frame description Frame tents for family use these are not generally issued in the field due to their relative bulk and cost compared to the ridge tent. They require more poles and material for use than a ridge tent but have a larger amount of internal space. Newer materials make them viable as a shelter type for emergency use. climate Small numbers of this form of tent has been observed in small quantities in the field (Afghanistan), although the specifications in the report are for a tent that has not yet been involved in field trials. materials involved Polyester fly, synthetic insulation, terrylene taffeta liner, galvanised steel frame. approx weight 115kg dimensions Up to about 4mx4m. the frame tent in this report measure 3m x 4m with a porch. inclusion in this report A family size frame tent from the MSF catalogue has been included in this report. It is a fully insulated winter tent with a porch, which acts as a buffer zone between the inside of the tent and outside. It has not yet been field tested in refugee camps.

14 14/ centre pole tents high walled description Canvas centre pole tent for cold climates. This significant design feature of this tent are its high walls, giving a large amount of headroom climate Originally developed by UNHCR over a number of years for cold climate providing increased living space. materials involved cotton or polycotton canvas, centre pole galvanised steel, painted steel. Side poles bamboo. approx weight 120Kg dimensions generally 4mx4m. a double-poled version of 6mx4m is also used. Larger versions are possible and have the form of a traditional military marquee. inclusion in this report the tent of this type included in this report is from the IAPSO (UNDP) specification, although the tent was originally developed by UNHCR centre pole tents - low walled description Canvas centre pole tents with low sidewalls. These tents have reduced head height and low doors but have a relatively low weight. climate Different versions exist for different climates warm climates - single fly cold climates double fly materials involved Coton or polycotton canvas, poles galvanised steel, aluminium, painted steel or in some cases bamboo. dimensions Generally 3-4m diameter inclusion in this report The tent in this report is a warm climate tent from MSF specifications. They have recently been seen in the field as supplied but the Iranian and Turkish Red Crescent Societies.

15 15/ hooped tents description Hooped shaped tents have the advantages of increased internal space for a given ground plan, no external guy ropes and the ability to put several in a row to extend the structure. However, they require more poles than a ridge tent, or the use of more high tech materials. Only two versions are known to currently exist for use in emergencies. climate Different versions exist for different climates warm climates - single fly (OXFAM) cold climates with insulated liner (IOM) materials involved Plastics or PVC, with high tech liners. approx weight kg depending on shelter. dimensions Up to 4m x 4m. inclusion in this report The OXFAM tent was originally developed to use unsewn sheets of standard plastic sheeting and standard materials. It represents a step up in shelter provision in hot climates from a single sheet of plastic. The IOM tent uses high tech materials to create an insulated winter shelter. This has been deployed in significant numbers in Afghanistan tents in development description The tent pictured is the ICRC prototype ridge tent made from sewn plastic sheeting. It has a ventilated inner tent and a flysheet. It can be extended at the ends to create an enclosed winter space. climate Different add-ons exist for different climates materials involved ICRC standard plastic sheet, poles galvanised steel. approx weight 50kg, 70kg with winter module dimensions 4mx4m inclusion in this report The tents in development in this report are those provided by USAID, which are based on performance, specifications, the ICRC prototype tent (pictured above) and the Oxfam GB hooped tent.

16 16/ general purpose tents description The general-purpose tents in this report are medium sized frame tents for use as hospitals, transit centres, community shelters, small-scale warehouse, e.t.c. larger tents such as Rubb Halls are not included climate Different versions exist for different climates materials involved Cotton or polycotton canvas, poles galvanised steel. dimensions These tents tend to be considerably larger than standard tents, and are based on a modular design. inclusion in this report Tents of this type are those by MSF, OXFAM, IAPSO (UNDP) and UN/OCHA

17 17/30 8 detailed specifications 8.1 introduction This section contains a detailed comparison of tent specifications. The following themes are discussed: 1) the contents of the specifications (no analysis); 2) how the specifications are written (basic analysis); 3) themes in content between the specifications. The section presents its conclusions in the following sub-sections: (8.2) structure and form (8.3) material and stitching (8.4) ropes and fixings (8.5) poles (8.6) pegs (8.7) valance (8.8) doors, flues and windows (8.9) groundsheet (8.10) additional details (8.11) packing and labelling (8.12) accessories (8.13) climatic considerations 8.2 structure and form As was shown in chapter 7, there are several shapes of tent in existence for the same purpose. The specifications are all designed with different aims. All of the specifications, other than the performance based specifications of USAID, give clear details as to the shape and form of the tents. 8.3 material and stitching There is considerable variation in materials between specifications. For ease of comparison the discussion of materials have been divided into three sections: cotton and cotton based coverings synthetic coverings lining materials cotton canvas coverings overview From the tents in this report, ridge tents, centre pole tents and the multi purpose frame tents used as hospitals tend to be made from either pure cotton canvas or a polycotton canvas. The composition of polycotton canvas varies between 30% and 50% polyester. A comparison of the tents using a cotton fly is included in annex C. Specifications agree that the quality of the canvas used is critical. The way in which the specifications are made depends on its target audience (i.e. procurement departments or manufacturers), and varies considerably between the specs covered. The following section details various characteristics of the canvas.

18 18/30 composition From the table in annex C we can see variations in composition of the canvas from pure cotton to varying mixes of polyester and cotton. ICRC/IFRC specifications define the fabric composition as according to ISO1833 (BS4407). weave Where defined, the weave is plain. This is due to the machines used in many of the large tent producing factories which often these do not have the technology to produce more complex or stronger weaves. Military tents use rip-stop canvas, but are more expensive. Where specified the weave uses two 10/2dernier threads, with threads per square inch in the warp, and threads per square inch in the weft. weight The basic weight of the fabric is usually less than the finished weight of the fabrics. This is due to the addition of chemicals and waxes for rot and water proofing. The different weights of canvas can be seen in annex B and in annex C. The ICRC/IFRC specification defines the weight against ISO 3801 (BS2471). strength The strength of the cotton is defined in several ways. Either by: defining the thread thickness, weaving density, the weight of the canvas and with qualitative phrases such as Free of defects and faults adversely affecting strength, waterproofness and durability. defining strengths such as Tensile strength (dan) - Warp 85 ISO (BS ) - Weft 85, Tear strength (dan) Started - Warp 6 ISO (BS9073-4) - Weft 6. testing The ICRC/IFRC specification refers to a series of testing regimes that should be carried out on the canvas. UV One specification mentions Resistance to UV (blistering). UV resistance is covered in ICRC/IFRC spec by repetition of several strength tests after exposure in a climatic chamber under ISO type A for 360 hours. The USAID specification lists the test of exposure by ASTM G53/94 (UVA 340nm peak) leading to a maximum 20% reduction in strength. rot proofing Treatments vary. The traditional method is treatment with copper napthanoate, which gives cotton canvas a blue-green tinge. The percentages of solution used for the treatment vary, although he final percentage of the dry weight of the canvas varies between 0.05% and 0.35%. waterproofing The most common waterproofer used is paraffin emulsion and alum acetate. The performance of the waterproofing is generally defined as the canvas must withstand a minimum 20-40cm of water. The ICRC/IFRC specification gives this as water penetration resistance (hpa) 30hPa = 30cmH2O ISO 811 (BS20811) comments Of the specifications included in this report, the majority of the flysheets are made from cotton or polycotton canvas. The specifications are either geared at tests that are reproducible in laboratory conditions or detailed make up of the canvas synthetic coverings Four of the tents specifications compared here do not have cotton / polycotton flysheets. Two of these use ICRC or UNHCR standard plastic sheeting which has been extensively tested in the field for many other purposes, although the shelter systems have yet to be deployed in significant numbers.

19 19/30 Only one of the tents compared here with a synthetic covering has been significantly deployed in the field. The IOM hoop tent specification describes the tent as being made from denier polyester. The MSF winter tent has an outer made from polyester with PVC coating (terrylene OXFORD 600Dx300D) lining materials The standard lining for a canvas tent is a desouti or cotton lining. This is generally made from 20x20 or 16x16 denier cotton yarn with 32 threads per inch in the warp and 32 threads per square inch in the weft. Where specified this is 170g/m 2 and is dyed yellow, and according to the specifications the dye is colourfast to water The IOM hoop tents are the only winter tent included in this survey which has been used extensively in the field and does not use a cotton lining. It uses jute or plastic woven cloth liner covering a doubleblistered 8mm aluminium alloyed foil layer of insulation in the IOM hoop tents. One of the MSF winter tents (as yet not field tested on a large scale) uses a synthetic inner tent. The lining is made of a non-woven synthetic insulation layer of 4mm terrylene weighing 500g/m 2. shelterproject.org is due to test polyester wadding sandwiched between two breather membranes as a tent liner in Afghanistan this winter stitching Only the received specifications for canvas ridge and centre pole tents have defined stitching. Where defined, this is the same between tents. It is defined as: Stitching Two Rows Lock Stitch With 21/4 (English Count). 2 inch machine stitched hem on all sides, 4/5 stitches per inch with 21/4 (English Count). Thread cotton or cotton equivalent Other specifications refer to a strength or snow load that the tent must be able to withstand. The use of performance standards is a more indirect way of defining the stitching. 8.4 ropes and fixings ropes Of the ropes discussed in the specifications, the following is fairly standard: UV treated Nylon Or Polypropylene Braiding 9 Mm 3 Strands Tensile strength at least 300 Kg runners 5mm Diameter Galvanized Steel, Approx 11 Cm Long. fixings The most common fixings of ropes to the tent are either through D rings (steel triangles) - e.g. 6 mm galvanised steel triangles galvanised steel d rings (triangular) evenly spaced strengthening circular rings on the inside of a hole e.g. Galvanised Mild Steel (8 Gauge) Grommets Sewn With 10/8 X 2Cotton String To Hold Corners And Side Ropes. strengthening patches In some parts of tents, where there are additional stresses such as where the wall roof and doorways are joined, strengthening patches are required. eyelets Eyelets are not always part of a tent design specification, but they can either be brass or galvanised.

20 8.5 poles 20/30 In the specifications covered, poles are all made from galvanised steel or aluminium pipe. The only exceptions being the OXFAM tent, which uses standard MDPE water pipe, and the high walled centre pole tent, which uses bamboo poles for the walls. The diameters of the galvanised pipes are all in the ranges below: 28mm diameter with 1mm wall thickness 48mm diameter, 1.5mm wall thickness. The detail of how the end spike is fixed to the poles is not covered in the specifications discussed. It is important as poorly fixed spikes are liable to break off in the field. 8.6 pegs The tent pegs specified fall into the following two categories large pegs Such as those for fixing guy ropes to the ground, theses are generally T shaped. The following specification is relatively typical 12 galvanized metal pegs of 50 cm long made of equal T bar 2cm x 2cm x 2cm, 3mm thick. Some of these pegs have a v shaped cut in them for fixing the rope, others have a ring 2.5 cm dia homogonized ring made of 4mm steel bar, fitted into a 5/6mm hole on one end of the peg pins Such as those for fixing an inner tent to the ground. These are shorter than the pegs. In the UN/OCHA specification, there is the option for a ground level frame to avoid the use of pegs. In the case of hoop tents, there is no need for pegs as they have no guy ropes. (The Oxfam tent uses straight 50 cm sections of concrete reinforcement bar to fix the pole to the ground) 8.7 valence The width of the valence, or mud flaps, of a tent has been found to be variable in the field, Valences are important as the canvas tends to be wetter and hence more prone to mildew and rotting where the tent reaches the ground. This is particularly an issue where the tent is trenched into the ground. If the valences are too short, heat losses due to infiltration will occur at ground level, and the bottom of the tent will be prone to rotting. Trenching also adds to the structural stability of tents, particularly in windy conditions. In clinical tents, valences are important as disinfectant spray rots canvas. Where specified the valence was generally found to be 40cm wide. This allows for 20cm overlap at ground level and the bottom 20cm of the walls to be made of a rot proof material. The materials however varied. These were found to be: 300g/m2 Thickness 0.5 Mm. Polyester Cloth Count 22 X 22, Construction 58 X 58. Woven PVC coated fabric (made in Taiwan), 450gm 2, UV resistant, single layer Woven polypropylene, 0.2mm thick, 10 x 10 warp and weft, weight min 200gm 2.

21 8.8. doors, flues and windows 21/30 windows The size, covering and closing system for windows varies between tents. Generally windows are covered by mosquito nets. The only exception is the IOM tent, which has shatterproof soft mica acetate windows. doors The fastening mechanism for doors Is achieved either by lacing toggles - In one specification these are defined as Nylon toggles 15cm spacing for door laces zips buttons (two rows on each door) There is often a significant overlap defined at the door. flues Flue holes are important if a stove is to be placed inside a tent. Specifications for dimensions of flue plates vary from 10cm to 8.5cm. The pockets that the flue plates slide in are generally larger. The IAPSO (UNDP) specification includes a 40x40cm hole for the flue plate. ventilation Some tents have vents in the roof. 8.9 groundsheet Groundsheets vary both in material and design Design Groundsheets are either : separate from an inner tent giving occupants control over how to use the groundsheet sewn in as an integral part of the tent giving wind and water proofing where the tent has not been trenched into the ground They are either flat sheets - generally 10% larger than the floor plan of the tent box shaped being the same size as the floor plan of the tent materials The following materials were found to be used PVC coated canvas - 500gm2 PVC (nylon g/m 2 ) Woven polypropylene covered on both sides with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) finished weight g/m 2. edges folded and sewn. Canvas covered with PVC 500gm 2. Waxed cotton canvas, 440gm additional details Some specifications contain additional design details that do not fall into any of the sections above or below. These are 4 pockets on inside. These are useful storage pockets for occupants mosquito nets to be effective, they must seal the inside of the tent from the outside and be durable.

22 8.11 packing and labeling 22/30 The detail to which packing and labelling is defined varies between tent specifications compared. The critical issues appear to be whether the agency name is displayed on the side of the tent or on the bag. the manufacturers name is displayed on the side of the tent allowing the tent to be traced. batch and delivery number is displayed on the tent or on the bag. In general for canvas tents, the following packaging rules are employed: The tent is to be folded and rolled with all accessories poles wrapped in canvas cloth inside the bundle. Polyethylene lined wrapped with strong Hessian cloth and stitched and strapped with nylon bands in both directions. Additional packaging specifications are pictogram of contents description of contents - English,French, Spanish manual on putting tent up 8.12 accessories Five of the specifications included a fairly standard set of accessories such as the following 1 metal hammer of 1.5 kg with 45 cm wooden tapered handle. metal head to be firmly secured to the handle by means of a wedge 1 repair kit, consisting of one straight and one curved strong needles with 20 m of suitable thread for repairing the tent climatic considerations waterproofing Most specifications contain detailed reference to resistance to water hot /cold climate Most of the tent specifications state the climate that the tent is aimed at. In general the terms hot climate tent, temperate climate tent, cold climate tent and winter tent are used Some give specific temperature thresholds resistant to 20C. wind Only the IOM and USAID tents specifically refer to ability to stand up in winds the IOM specification stated resistance up to 90km/h wind, the USAID specifications states resistance up to 55km/h gusting to 80km/h. It should be noted that higher walled tents would take a larger load from high winds. snow loading The USAID specifications are the only specifications to make specific reference to snow loading. The majority of tents do contain strength either implicitly or explicitly as part of the specification.

23 23/30 9 other shelter materials 9.0 introduction It is the intention of shelterproject.org that in the future, further NFIs will be added to this comparison of specifications. For this first draft, only blankets and quilts are covered. To test blankets the ICRC/IFRC catalogue suggests that the samples are taken from compressed bales and conditioned under the normal textile test conditioning as per ISO139, 65% moisture and 27 C for 24h. 9.2 blankets and quilts blankets from IAPSO (UNDP), ICRC/IFRC, MSF, OXFAM, UNHCR and UN/OCHA are included in this report. The specifications are summarised in appendix D. range Most agencies appear to have a range of blankets of varying resistances for various climates. Most agency catalogues carry the advice that one high thermal resistance blanket provides more heat than two low or medium resistance ones, and that it is preferable to give one blanket of good quality instead of two of poorer quality. weight and volume Nearly all of the blankets in this comparison were in the range 1-2kg each, with a weight in the range g/m 2. size All blankets in this comparison are in the range 2m x 1.5m apart from the polar fleeces, which measure 2.3m x1.6m, and the Oxfam woven blankets (donated goods) which measure 1.8m x 1.2m. colour Most of the blankets are brown grey or dark coloured for practical reasons. finishing Most of the blankets have either ribbon borders or have whipped stitching, generally with 10 stitches per decimetre strength Nearly all of the blanket specifications in this survey contain tests for tensile strength and tear strength. shrinkage Most blankets have shrinkage tests included in their specifications. In all of these cases the maximum shrinkage after hand washing at 40C is less than 8%, in some less than 2% thermal resistance Not all blankets have a specified thermal resistance. see annex e for further details of insulation terms. protection against moths Where specified, spraying is the preferred protection from attach from moths

24 24/30 10 conclusions 10.1 introduction In this report a technical comparison has been made of various specifications for tents and blankets for use by aid organisations further work required The list of tents and blankets compared here is by no means exhaustive, as the specifications of many agencies have not been received for inclusion in this report. There are many other shelter related NFIs that have not been included at this stage. further materials of relevance to the shelter sector are: cook sets rope plastic sheeting clothing sleeping bags heaters and stoves In compiling this report, the following questions have been raised: should a standard set of tent and blanket specifications consistent between agencies be formed? If so how should this be achieved? should a standard set of family shelter packages, containing a coherent selection of NFIs be defined for each climate? It is hoped that by initially compiling the specifications and at a later stage commenting upon them, consensus and best practice between agencies can be reached. In the long term this could improve the consistency and cost efficiency of international aid, and ultimately save lives and reduce human suffering.

25 annexes 25/30 annex a glossary Dacron a trademark polyester fibre manufactured by Dupont. desouti lightweight cotton fabric used for lining tents flue tube running from a stove carrying out exhaust gases flue hole hole in the tent where the flue exits flysheet outer layer of a tent. groundsheet sheet at ground level for a tent. MDPE Medium Density Polyethylene. organoleptic - something that makes your senses react. The organoleptic test for a blanket consists of touching, smelling, and looking. peg metal spike for attaching guy ropes to the ground. pole solid structural bars forming part of a tent. polycotton polyester cotton mix.polyester a synthetic fibre, highly resilient, resisting abrasion, moths, bacteria, sun mildew and heat. polypropylene a synthetic material, of continuous filaments, very light, warm and soft. Resist abrasion, moths and bacteria. It has a variable UV stability. PVC poly vinyl chloride valence the section of a tent where the walls reach the ground. warp weaving term for the lateral threads in a fabric weft weaving term used for the horizontal threads in a fabric

26 26/30 annex b Table comparing tent specifications as covered in this document UNHCR IAPSO / UNDP [*] IAPSO / UNDP IOM MSF MSF MSF MSF MSF IFRC ICRC/ IFRC ICRC OXFAM USAID USAID UN/ OCHA ICRC/ IFRC OXFAM MSF fully tested yes Yes Yes Yes yes no no Yes no yes yes No No no no yes yes Climate 3 typessummer/ winter cold Cold tempera te cold cold temper ate/ cold cold cold hot/ cold hot/ cold (with module) Hot hot/ cold yes Yes Tropical Use family Family family family family family family family family family family family Family family family group multi multi Multi frame frame frame Frame Description single fly ridge tent double fly ridge tent center pole hoop tent Extendable No No No semi no Type 100% cotton 100% cotton 100% cotton Polyest er center pole, low walls, 100% cotton frame, with porch center pole ridge center pole ridge ridge ridge Hoop frame kit for plastic sheet no no no no no no No Yes no no no yes yes Yes polyester with PVC coating polyeth ylene 100% cotton 100% cotton poly/ cotton 30/70% poly/ cotton 30/70 % ICRC plastic sheet unsewn plastic sheet unsewn plastic sheet tent+ winter kit perfor mance spec 100% cotton poly/ cotton 50/50% 100% cotton poly/ cotton 50/50% Fabric weight[***] 15oz [*] 500gm iso380 1 Suggested max capacity area per person (m2) Floor 3m x 4m / [**] [**] [**] [**] [**] 5 adults [**] 6 6 [**] [**] [**] 30 beds [**] [**] 4m x 4m 4.5m x 4.5m [**] [**] [**] 3/ 6 [**] [**] [**] [**] 2.8 4m x 4m 4m dia. 3m x 4m 4m x 4m 4m x 4m [**] 4m x 4m 4m x 4m 3.9m x 3.9m 3.6m x 3.6m [**] [**] width 5m area (m2) / Centre height 2.0m 3.0m side wall 1.0m 0.9m weight (kg) [**] m 2.0m 2.4m 2.5m 1.75m 2.00m 2.25m 2.0m 2.2m 2m 2m 3m 2.1m 2.4/ 2.8m 1.8m 0,6m 1.6m 0.8m 0.9m 1.25m 0.9m 0.9m 1.3m inner [**] basic - 70 [**] / excl. sheeting n/a 2.1m [**] 1.85/ 2.1m 5.5m x 5.0m 5.5m x 5.0m 6 x 13.7m 2.5m 2.5m 3.0m 1.8m 1.8m 2.1m <55 [**] Dimensions ship vol. (m3) [**] [**] [**] [**] [**] [**] 0.29 [**] [**] [**] [**] [**] [**] [**] [*] IAPSO / UNDP - ridge tent exists in single and double and winter versions (winter version has a flue hole) [**] data not included in specification [***] finished weight of material used for fly sheet the full document is available at associated with the university of cambridge for research projects info@shelterproject.org

27 27/30 annex C material specifications for cotton canvas tents. IAPSO (UNDP) IAPSO (UNDP) ICRC/ IFRC IFRC ICRC/ IFRC UNHCR UN/ OCHA OXFAM MSF USAID Use family Family Family family general Family group general general Family Description Ridge center pole Ridge ridge multi purpose Ridge group tents multi purpose multi purpose Area (m 2 ) 16.0m2 16.0m2 16m2 16m 27.5m2 12m2 28/32m2 27.5m2 6x13.7m 21m2 Material Weave wei ght gm2 cotton % [*] polyester% [*] gauge thread of 10/2 x 10/2 x 10/2 10/2 twisted twisted [*] 10/2 x 10/2 twisted [*] 10/2 x 10/2 twisted [*] [*] [*] [*] warp threads / sq inch [*] 44/46 [*] 42 [*] [*] [*] [*] weft threads/ /26 26 rip stop sq inch basic [*] 400 [*] 13 [*] [*] [*] [*] finished / [*] [*] durability comments [2] [2] [2] [2] colour natural canvas natural canvas [*] natural canvas raw cotton [*] [*] [*] Agents [3] [3] [*] [3] [*] [3] [*] [*] [*] [*] Tent water proofing Hydrostatic head (cm) snow loading ISO cm - ISO cm - ISO 811 [*] [*] 100% waterpro of 24kgm2 UV resistant ISO2960 yes Fire retarding Yes CPAI-84 Rot proofing [1] [1] to be [1] to be [1] rot proof [*] indicated indicated rot proofing solution [*] Stretching ISO7771 BS cm 80kg ISO5081 [1] copper napthanoate or any appropriate agents [2] free of defects adversely affecting strength and durability [3] Paraffin Emulsion And Alum Acetate [*] data not included in specification [**] there is some confusion over where fabric is quoted as Oz/square yard or Oz/m2. The latter has been taken in conversion factors the full document is available at info@shelterproject.org associated with the university of cambridge for research projects.

28 28/30 annex d blanket specifications comparison. IAPSO (UNDP) IAPSO (UNDP) IAPSO (UNDP) ICRC/ IFRC ICRC/ IFRC ICRC/ IFRC MSF MSF MSF MSF OXFAM OXFAM UNHCR UN/OCHA Comments Thermal resistance Materials woven woven knitted polar fleece woven woven quilt knitted polar fleece Low Med high Med high high High Low Lowmed woven woven woven knitted, donated goods Med woven woven Wool 30% 50% 0 50% 80% 0% 0% 30% 40% 50% mixed 60% 30% 50% Cotton 70% 50% 0 70% 60% mixed 70% polyacrilic 0/50% polyester 20/27 100% 50% dacron 80/0% 80% polyester Ppropylene 0/23% lining 20% unspecified synthetic 70% 50% % 60% mixed 40% Mix 70% 50% New New New new yes yes New New New new new not either wool volume (dm3) 7 [*] [*] [*] [*] Number/ [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] container total weight (kg) weight (g/m2) Size 2m x 2m x 1.6mx 2m x 2m x 2m x 1.6mx 2m x 2m x 2m x 1.8m x 1.5m 2m x 1.5m 1.5m 1.5m 2.3m 1.5m 1.5m 1.5m 2.3m 1.5m 1.5m 1.5m 1.2m x 2m 1.5m x 2m Colour grey grey grey grey grey grey grey Grey grey grey mixed mixed [*] grey / brown brown brown brown brown brown brown brown brown brown brown dark dark blue dark dark dark dark dark dark dark whipped or Yes Yes yes yes yes Yes Yes Yes yes yes [*] yes [*] yes ribbon borders thickness under 20 g/cm2 load 4mm 5mm 6-7mm ISO mm ISO mm ISO mm 6-7mm 4mm 4mm 5mm [*] [*] 4mm [*] max moisture [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] 10% max oil [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] 5% ISO Tensile warp 25kg 25kg 25kg 30kg 30kg 30kg 30kg [*] [*] BS 35kg strength 2576, 25DaN warp and weft 25kg 25kg 25kg 18kg 18kg 18kg 18kg [*] [*] 2" 20kg weft grab Tear warp 7kg 7kg 7kg 7kg [*] [*] strength weft 7kg 7kg 7kg 7kg [*] [*] Max shrinkage after hand washing at 40C thermal resistance (m2 K/W) thermal resistance TOG <8% <8% <8% <8% <8% <8% <2% <8% <8% <8% [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] number per bale [*] sprayed against moths Yes Yes yes yes yes Yes yes yes yes yes [*] [*] [*] Yes [*] data not known at time of compilation. [*] the full document is available at info@shelterproject.org associated with the university of cambridge for research projects.

29 29/30 annex e insulation terms This annex contains terms commonly used in discussion of insulation. U-value TOG CLO has the units W/m 2 ºK also known as overall heat transfer coefficient or thermal transmittance, it is a material property but is particularly useful when it represents the transmittance through a composite material it is a measure of how well a material conducts heat so the lower the U-value, the better the insulation. has the units Tog describes the (thermal) insulating properties of cloth it is a measure of how well a material resists heat flow so the higher the Tog rating, the better the insulation. has the units Clo describes the (thermal) insulating properties of clothing it is a measure of how well a material resists heat flow so the higher the Clo rating, the better the insulation. Conversion W/m 2 ºK m 2 ºK/W Togs Clos Table (U-value) U-value 1/U-value 10/U-value 6.45/Uvalue 1 Tog 10 W/m 2 ºK 0.1 m 2 ºK/W clo 1 Clo 6.45 W/m 2 ºK m 2 ºK/W 1.55 tog Examples of Conversion For a U-value of 3 W/m 2 ºK Conversion Table W/m 2 ºK (U-value) m 2 ºK/W Tog Clo U-value For a sleeping bag of 8 togs Conversion Table W/m 2 ºK (U-value) m 2 ºK/W Tog Clo Tog clo would be equivalent to a person wearing underwear, blouse/shirt, slacks/trousers, jacket, socks and shoes) Conversion Table W/m 2 ºK (U-value) m 2 ºK/W Tog Clo Clo the full document is available at info@shelterproject.org associated with the university of cambridge for research projects.

30 30/30 annex f distribution list This is the first draft of an open document to be presented at the second shelterproject peer review, 3-4 th October the full document is available at info@shelterproject.org associated with the university of cambridge for research projects.