CARBON: Crisis Assisting Resilient Bivouac Outdoor Network

In the aftermath of natural disasters, providing immediate, effective shelter to displaced individuals is crucial. The CARBON (Crisis Assisting Resilient Bivouac Outdoor Network) project introduces a lightweight, portable, and resilient 1-person tent designed to be airdropped into affected areas. This tent weighs only 3 pounds, reducing assembly and relocation time, making it an ideal solution for emergencies requiring rapid response. The CARBON tent was developed by Matthew Harkey and a friend from Design Tech High School in the Bay Area. 

Structural Materials:

• Carbon Fiber Tubing

Fabric and Covering:

• Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF)
• Flame-resistant coating for DCF

Assembly Components:

• Straps and Pockets (for connecting tubes to fabric)
• Stakes
• Guy lines

Survival Kit:

• LifeStraw (water filter)
• Sleeping Bags
• Radio System (battery-operated)

Tools and Equipment:

• CNC Machine (for cutting carbon fiber)
• Automated Precision Cutters (for cutting DCF)
• Industrial Sewing Machines

Design and Modeling Software:

• Autodesk Fusion 360 (software for 3D modeling and design)

Packaging and Transportation:

• Lightweight, durable carry bags for tents
• Airdrop packaging (for deployment via aircraft)

• Lightweight and Portable: The CARBON tent only weighs 3 pounds making it easy to transport and deploy. This makes it ideal for rapid-response scenarios.
• Durable Materials: CARBON Tents are constructed with carbon fiber tubes and Dyneema Composite Fabric to guarantee strength while remaining relatively light. 
• Waterproof and Flame-Resistant: The DCF makes the tent waterproof which is essential for flooded and rainy environments. The tent is treated with a flame-resistant coating to protect occupants from fires.
• Elevated Design: The tent is elevated on Carbon Fiber stilts to protect occupants from flooding. This also provides stability on uneven or unstable ground which further increases the safety of the tents occupant. 
• Insulation: The Dyneema fabric helps to retain heat in the tent, ensuring warmth in colder or windy conditions.
• Complete Survival Kit: Each tent is equipped with a LifeStraw for clean drinking water, sleeping bags for comfort and warmth as well as a radio system for maintaining communication with rescue services.

The CARBON tent is specifically designed for deployment in natural disaster sites where unstable ground, debris, and ongoing threats are prevalent. This environment is a major challenge, so we had to optimize our tent’s resilience and adaptability. Since there is a major variability between natural disaster sites, we had to verify that our design can meet basic survival needs while being able to adapt to flooding, fires and earthquakes.

• Frame Assembly: The carbon fiber tubes connect to the DCF via straps and pockets without the need for additional tools, allowing for a fast setup in a situation where efficiency is key.
• Stilt Installation: The stilts are attached to the frame’s base, elevating the tent to prevent flooding and provide stability.
• Anchoring: Stakes and guy lines are used to anchor the tent firmly to the ground, ensuring it remains secure in harsh weather conditions.

To design the CARBON tent, we utilized Fusion 360, our favorite Autodesk software to create a detailed 3D model of CARBON. This allowed us to iterate on the design to improve the structural integrity and material efficiency of the tent, ensuring it could protect the occupant from extreme environments.

The CARBON tent is a revolutionary tent design that enhances the quality of life for individuals displaced by natural disasters who normally have nowhere to stay. By integrating climate-adaptive design elements and advanced materials, we have created a shelter that is both resilient and livable. The things we learned can be applied to advancing architectural solutions for broader housing challenges caused by poverty, helping to create affordable and sustainable living environments for vulnerable populations.

The CARBON tent is considerate of the different cultures affected by natural disasters as it focuses on survival needs which are universally essential such as shelter, warmth, and safety. The tent's design does not push or impose cultural aesthetics on anybody which is why it should fit in most cultural contexts. The CARBON tent aims to not be culturally insensitive as it was inspired mainly by the only essential factors for a natural disaster shelter: functionality and neutrality.

CARBON tents are constructed using advanced materials like carbon fiber and Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF). This aligns with modern architectural trends that emphasize lightweight, durable, and sustainable materials. The usage of these materials ensures that the tent can withstand harsh environmental conditions, reflecting architectural principles of resilience and adaptability. The DCF is cut using automated precision cutters, and is stitched together using industrial sewing machines which improves accuracy and strength during construction. Carbon fiber is cut to shape using a CNC machine to increase precision. Everything is assembled within an industrial assembly line, which boosts the efficiency of the manufacturing process.

Initially, we wanted to create a physical model of the CARBON tent using a 3D printer to demonstrate its structural design and functionality. After attempting to print the model multiple times, it failed because the filament could not print small enough to accurately model the size of the outer fabric. We were saddened by this but realized that failure is part of the design process. In the future, we would love to make this tent a reality by collaborating with architectural engineers, designers, and sociologists to ensure our design meets the needs of those affected by natural disasters.

The CARBON tent shows how innovative design and engineering can provide effective solutions in times of crisis. By addressing the unique challenges of different natural disaster sites, we have created a resilient and adaptable shelter that enhances its occupant's well-being. This project showcases the potential of architecture and engineering to make a meaningful impact in extreme environments, paving the way for future advancements in disaster relief and habitat design. As stated previously, we would love to make this tent a reality with the help of people like Joshua Dobbs who are dedicated to making the world a better place.