Tsunami shelter

Abstract

To provide a tsunami shelter that requires little time or effort to construct, including the cost of the structure, and that can protect human lives with a high probability from the time of the tsunami until a predetermined period of time has elapsed. [Solution] The shelter comprises a main body 2 that is sealed at least at the upper part and secures a living space S inside, and an outer wall 3 that surrounds the main body 2 and interferes with the mechanical effects on the main body 2 caused by water force and flowing objects generated by a tsunami, the outer wall 3 is supported by the ground or the like, and a passage 3A is provided that extends upward along the outer wall 3.

Description

Technical Field

[0005]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tsunami shelter that can be used for evacuation when a tsunami occurs.

Background Art

[0002] A tsunami generated by a major earthquake or the like rushes towards the land at a terrifying speed and may cause buildings such as houses to collapse. To escape from such a tsunami, it is necessary to evacuate to a place higher than the tsunami arrival point. However, it is difficult to evacuate alone in places without a high place nearby, or for children, the elderly, and disabled people. In addition, evacuation facilities are generally provided in remote locations. Considering the speed of the above-mentioned tsunami, not only the elderly and those with difficulty walking but also healthy people and evacuation guides are likely to be left behind. Therefore, it cannot be said to be sufficient as a measure to suppress human casualties during a tsunami.

[0003] In response to such problems, shelters that can be installed near residences have been developed for the purpose of securing an evacuation place that can be evacuated in a short time close to the living environment of residents (see Patent Document 1). The shelter described in Patent Document 1 is composed of a highly airtight outer shell having a living room space inside. An opening that allows people to enter and exit is provided on the front side of the side portion of the outer shell, and the living room space is provided at a position above the upper end of the opening.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] A shelter like the one described in Patent Document 1 prevents the water level from rising above the top of the opening, preventing air from escaping the shelter and thus preventing water from entering the living space, thus enabling life support for a predetermined period of time. However, the shelter itself, including the part that secures the air, needs to be durable against the water pressure of a tsunami and the sediment washed away by the tsunami, which presents problems such as the cost of the structure and the time and effort required for construction. In addition, conventional structures are prone to having their openings blocked by sand or wood, and do not have effective escape routes, which may prevent people from escaping or being rescued from the tsunami shelter quickly, and it has been pointed out that they are not sufficiently effective in protecting human lives from the time a tsunami strikes until a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

[0006] This invention was made in view of these problems, and aims to provide a tsunami shelter that does not require much time or effort to construct, including the cost of the structure, and can protect human lives with a high probability from the time a tsunami occurs until a predetermined time has elapsed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the aforementioned problems, the tsunami shelter of the present invention is: The shelter comprises a main body that is sealed at least at its upper level to secure a living space inside, and an outer wall that surrounds the main body to interfere with the mechanical effects on the main body caused by water and flowing objects generated by a tsunami, The aforementioned outer wall is supported by the ground or the like, and is characterized by having a passage extending upward along the outer wall. According to these features, the shelter itself will not lose air during a tsunami, ensuring that the living space remains intact, and the outer walls, supported by the ground, will effectively protect the shelter from the pressure of the tsunami and the impact of debris and other flowing objects carried by the tsunami. After the tsunami recedes, the passageway extending upward along the highly strong outer wall can be used as an escape route for evacuees, thus having a high probability of saving lives.

[0008] The aforementioned outer wall portion is characterized by having a passage covered by a cover portion formed on the outer periphery side. This feature allows for escape to the upper side of the tsunami shelter after the tsunami has receded, as the outer wall is covered by a protective cover, preventing obstacles such as rubble from getting in the way. This is achieved by using the covered passageway through the outer wall to escape from the shelter's entrance.

[0009] The passageway extending upward along the aforementioned outer wall is characterized by being equipped with a ladder. This feature allows people to quickly escape using ladders on passages that extend upward along the outer wall after a tsunami, thus increasing the probability of saving lives during a tsunami. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a tsunami shelter in Example 1. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the assembly procedure for the exterior wall section. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view AA in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is an illustrative diagram showing a tsunami shelter being exposed to a tsunami. [Figure 5] This is an illustrative image showing a situation where the water level around a tsunami shelter has dropped and sediment has accumulated around it. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing a tsunami shelter in Example 2. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the cover used in the tsunami shelter in Example 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The embodiments for implementing the tsunami shelter according to the present invention will be described below based on examples. [Examples]

[0012] The tsunami shelter according to Example 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. Reference numeral 1 in Figure 1 denotes the tsunami shelter to which the present invention is applied (hereinafter referred to as the shelter). The shelter 1 is an evacuation shelter mainly placed near a residence (not shown) built along the coast, and is mainly composed of a shelter body 2 and an outer wall 3 that supports the shelter body 2.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the shelter body 2 is made of plastic, and light-transmitting plastic is suitable to provide a sense of security to people and animals inside the living space S. It is mainly integrally formed from fiber-reinforced plastic, with the upper end forming a dome-shaped, roughly bell-like shape, and the overall shape being roughly circular in plan view. The shelter body 2 is equipped with a horizontal floor plate 4 at the bottom, and the living space S is formed above the floor plate 4. The shelter body 2 does not have to be dome-shaped, roughly bell-like at the upper end; it can also be cylindrical overall, i.e., shaped like an inverted bucket. Furthermore, an advantage of using plastic is that by making the shelter body 2 out of plastic, if people cannot easily get out of the shelter body 2's exit after a tsunami, they can be rescued by cutting the plastic. In addition, although the shelter body 2 is made of plastic, if it is made of a material with lower strength than the outer wall 3, it will be easier to break during rescue, making rescue easier.

[0014] Furthermore, a cylindrical section 5 extends downward from the outer edge of the floorboard 4, and the hollow space of the cylindrical section 5 is in communication with the living space S. The opening at the lower end of this cylindrical section 5 constitutes the entrance 6 of the living space S. The living space S of the shelter body 2 is airtight, with no ventilation openings above except for this entrance 6. However, although not shown in the diagram, if a highly sealing lid is installed over the entrance 6, it can prevent the water level rising due to water level changes caused by a tsunami from moving into the living space S. In this case, it is suitable for tsunamis where high water levels are expected.

[0015] The floor board 4 is provided at least above the lower end 7a of the peripheral wall portion 7, and the shelter main body 2 has an elevated floor structure having a space below the floor board 4. Further, an opening 8 is formed in a part of the circumferential direction of the peripheral wall portion 7. The opening 8 is formed to be open from below the floor board 4 to the vicinity of the lower end 7a of the peripheral wall portion 7. The vertical interval between the upper end of this opening 8 and the entrance / exit 6 affects whether water enters above the floor board 4 due to the arrival water level of the tsunami. This is because the upper end of the opening 8 is the air intrusion end to the shelter main body 2 side.

[0016] A rib portion (protrusion) 9 is formed at the central portion in the vertical direction of the peripheral wall portion 7. The rib portion 9 has a length along the circumferential direction, although not shown here. Further, at the central portion in the vertical direction of the peripheral wall portion 7, a protruding portion 11 that protrudes outward is formed at a distance from the rib portion 9 in the circumferential direction. The functions of this rib portion (protrusion) 9 and the protruding portion 11 are utilized as stoppers for the shelter main body 2 when installing the shelter main body 2 after constructing the outer wall portion, but are not utilized when initially placing the lower end 7a of the peripheral wall portion 7 of the shelter main body 2 on a bottom plate 34 formed by placing concrete and then constructing the outer wall portion 3 to surround the shelter main body 2 with the divided body 333 of the retaining wall structure.

[0017] A suspended support portion 12 in the shape of a handle is provided at the upper end portion of the shelter main body 2. A crane hook or the like of a crane described later can be hooked on the suspended support portion 12.

[0018] The outer wall portion 3 is mainly configured as a combination of concrete - made divided bodies 333, but steel bars or reinforcing plastics may be used for strength reinforcement. Thus, the outer wall portion 3 is composed of a plurality of divided bodies 333, and the divided bodies 333 are combined to form an annular shape with an upper opening 3a formed. Each divided body 333 includes a standing portion 13 and a base portion 14 extending outward from the lower end portion of the standing portion 13. At least one of the divided bodies 333 has a communication port 16 formed in a part of the standing portion 13, and a passage 3A extending upward along the outer wall portion 3 is provided. This passage 3A is covered with a cover 3B, and a ladder 3C extending upward is provided inside the cover 3B. The inner edge shape formed by the standing portion 13 is substantially the same as the outer edge shape of the peripheral wall portion 7 of the shelter main body 2 and is formed to be slightly larger than the peripheral wall portion 7 of the shelter main body 2. That is, the shelter main body 2 is loosely fitted inside the standing portion 13 of the outer wall portion 3. In this embodiment, the passage 3A is covered with the cover 3B, but the passage 3A may form a concave or convex portion in the vertical direction between the shelter main body 2 and the outer wall portion 3 to form a passage between the shelter main body 2 and the outer wall portion 3, as long as it can prevent blockage or damage of the passage 3A by debris etc.

[0019] Also, on the standing portion 13 of the divided body 333 of the outer wall portion 3, a locking portion 18 is formed on a part of the circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface, separated from the convex strip portion 9 in the circumferential direction. The locking portion 18 is composed of a pair of guide portions 18a, 18a extending parallel to each other in the vertical direction of the inner circumferential surface. The guide portions 18a, 18a are slightly larger than the circumferential dimension of the protruding portion 11 formed on the circumferential wall portion 7 of the shelter main body 2 and are separated from each other, and by arranging the protruding portion 11 between the guide portions 18a, 18a, the relative phase between the shelter main body 2 and the outer wall portion 3 is positioned. The protruding portion 11 and the locking portion  18 function as rotation restricting means for the shelter main body 2 and the outer wall portion 3. In addition, when the shelter main body 2 is not circular in plan view, or when the shelter main body 2 and the outer wall portion 3 have a shape that restricts rotation with each other, the protruding portion 11 and the locking portion 18 constituting this rotation restricting means may be omitted.

[0020] The approach section 15 is connected to a communication opening 16 formed in the upright section 13 of the outer wall section 3, facilitating entry and exit of people, and also serving as a drainage channel for water that tends to accumulate in the base plate 34, which is the foundation.

[0021] The anchor hook 19, fixed to the upper end 13a of the upright portion 13 of the outer wall portion 3, and the suspension support portion 12, provided at the upper end of the shelter body 2, have both ends of the mooring member 20 attached to them, respectively. In other words, the mooring member 20 constitutes a connecting device that connects the upper end 13a of the outer wall portion 3 and the upper end of the shelter body 2.

[0022] The mooring member 20 is configured with carabiners 20a, 20a at both ends of a chain, and the carabiners 20a, 20a can be attached to and detached from the anchor hook 19 and the suspension support 12. The mooring member 20 is attached to the anchor hook 19 at the upper end of the upright portion of the outer wall 3 and to the suspension support 12 provided at the upper end of the shelter body 2, and rescue personnel, as described later, can attach and detach the carabiners 20a, 20a from above the upright portion 13.

[0023] As described above, since the structure containing the living space and the protective structure are constructed separately, the construction of Shelter 1, including the cost of the structures, does not take much time or effort.

[0024] Next, we will explain assuming an actual tsunami strikes. Here, we will assume that the initial incoming wave reaching Shelter 1 hits it from the right side of the screen in Figure 4, and the receding wave, which returns after some time has passed since the water flowed over Shelter 1, hits Shelter 1 from the left side of the screen in Figure 4.

[0025] Users who detect the approach of a tsunami due to a tsunami warning or other means can evacuate into the living space S through the communication opening 16 formed in the upright section of the outer wall 3, the opening 8 in the peripheral wall 7 of the shelter body 2, or the entrance / exit 6 formed in the floorboard 4.

[0026] The incoming and outgoing waves of the tsunami that reach Shelter 1 collide with the upright section 13 of the high-strength outer wall section 3, preventing damage to the shelter body 2 installed inside the upright section 13. Furthermore, because the upright section 13 of the outer wall section 3 is circular in plan view, regardless of the direction from which the incoming waves from the sea and the outgoing waves from the mountain side collide, the water flow is divided into two directions as it flows around the upright section. This reduces the force directly acting on Shelter 1 by the incoming tsunami waves, makes it difficult for vortices to form, and makes the outer wall section 3 less likely to be swept away. As a result, the fluid resistance of the water is reduced, and the possibility of damage to the outer wall section 3 itself is low.

[0027] As shown in Figure 2, the entrance to the shelter body 2 is formed below the floorboard 4, and users evacuate to the living space S from below the entrance 6. The living space S has no ventilation openings except for the entrance 6, and is structured so that the internal air does not escape to the outside but remains stagnant. Therefore, as shown in Figure 4, even if the water level rises and the living space S is submerged below the floorboard 4, the internal air of the living space S is compressed to a certain extent, increasing the air pressure and counteracting the water pressure of the infiltrating water. As a result, the water level does not exceed the entrance 6, and the vertical distance between the upper end of the opening 8 and the entrance 6 is designed in advance to prevent flooding of the living space S. Therefore, evacuees do not come into continuous contact with water and their body heat is not directly lost. In addition, the tip of the cylindrical part 5 extending downward from the floorboard 4 of the living space S constitutes the entrance 6, and the floorboard 4 constituting the living space S is formed to be reliably above the entrance 6, thus more reliably preventing flooding of the living space S.

[0028] Furthermore, since the outer wall section 3 is enclosed by the upright section 13, that is, the space supporting the shelter body 2 is open at the bottom by the approach section 15, seawater that flows in between the shelter body 2 and the upright section 13 of the outer wall section 3 can be quickly discharged to the outside.

[0029] Furthermore, even if the shelter body 2 temporarily floats due to buoyancy when the water level rises, it remains moored without detaching from the outer wall 3 because the upper end 13a of the outer wall 3 and the upper end of the shelter body 2 are connected by the mooring member 20. Depending on the length of the mooring member 20, it is also possible to completely prevent the shelter body 2 from moving upward relative to the outer wall 3, or to temporarily stop the upward movement with sandbags.

[0030] Furthermore, the protrusions 11 formed on the peripheral wall portion 7 of the shelter body 2 are positioned between guide portions formed on the inner circumferential surface of the upright portion 13 of the outer wall portion 3, thereby restricting the rotation of the shelter body 2 and the outer wall portion 3. This prevents the shelter body 2 from rotating relative to the outer wall portion 3 when a tsunami strikes, resulting in superior habitability in the living space S.

[0031] Figure 5 shows the area approximately three hours after the first wave of the tsunami had receded, with sediment carried by the tsunami accumulating around Shelter 1.

[0032] It is preferable for the user to notify the rescue team of their location by sending a distress signal using a communication terminal or the like within the living space. Upon confirming the presence of Shelter 1, the rescue team first engages and disengages the carabiners 20a, 20a (see Figure 1) of the mooring member 20 from at least one of the anchor hook 19 and the suspension support 12. Next, they hook the crane hook CF of crane C onto the suspension support 12 at the upper end of the shelter body 2 and lift it. This allows the shelter body 2 to be moved upward away from the outer wall 3, and the user can safely escape through the entrance 6 of the shelter body 2.

[0033] In this case, since the guide portion of the outer wall portion 3 that constitutes the rotation restricting means is elongated in the vertical direction, when the shelter body 2 is lifted, the protruding portion 11 of the shelter body 2 is guided into the guide portion. As a result, the shelter body 2 does not rotate relative to the outer wall portion 3 when lifted, preventing problems such as users in the living space falling or feeling unwell.

[0034] Furthermore, the load of the shelter body 2 is supported by a protruding ridge 9 located in the vertical center of the peripheral wall, which is supported by a support portion 17 of the outer wall 3. In other words, the shelter body 2 can be supported with the lower end 7a of the peripheral wall 7 floating above the outer wall 3. Various dimensions are required depending on the terrain, but regardless of the vertical height dimension of the outer wall 3 necessary for sufficient burial in the ground, the support portion 17 allows the living space S to be positioned at a suitable height relative to the outer wall 3.

[0035] Furthermore, it is recommended that the shelter body 2 be installed inside the outer wall section 3 such that its upper end is located below the upper end 13a of the outer wall section 3. This ensures that the outer wall section 3, supported by the ground, can reliably protect the shelter body 2 from the pressure of the tsunami and the impact of debris and other flowing objects carried away by the tsunami.

[0036] Because the outer wall section 3 is made of reinforced concrete, it can be constructed using a simple method to provide sufficient strength to withstand the pressure of tsunamis and collisions with debris, buildings, and ships swept away by tsunamis. In contrast, the shelter body 2 is mainly made of plastic, so it can be made lightweight and the external force required to separate it upwards can be reduced. In this way, the outer wall section 3 and the shelter body 2 can be made with a simple structure, so the shelter 1 can be quickly constructed in areas where the effects of tsunamis are a concern. In particular, plastic is easy to cut with a cutting machine, which enables rapid rescue of people. [Examples]

[0037] Similar to Embodiment 1, the outer wall section 3 is fixed to the concrete foundation base plate 34 with fixing materials such as anchor bolts A to ensure its strength, and the annular outer wall section 3 is mainly composed of a combination of concrete segmented sections 333. In this embodiment, at least one of the segmented sections 333 has a communication opening 16 below the upright section 13. Alternatively, all segmented sections 333 may be the same, and the communication opening 16 may be formed between the segmented sections 333.

[0038] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, a cover body 23B made of metal or a similar material that is easy to process and has high strength is installed above the communication opening 16, and is secured to the upper end of the outer wall 3 by a locking part K. Side plates 23D extend vertically above and below, surrounding the evacuation passage 23A. A ladder 23C extending upward is provided inside the cover body 23B. In this way, a passage 23A covered by the cover body 23B is formed on the outer wall 3 outside the shelter body 2, and the cover body 23B prevents the passage from being blocked by rubble or damaged, so that a person can climb up to the upper end of the outer wall 3 by using the ladder 3C provided on the outer wall 3.

[0039] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments, and any changes or additions that do not depart from the spirit of the present invention are also included.

[0040] The exterior wall portion of the above embodiment is not limited to being supported by a base plate of exposed concrete poured on the ground surface or a base plate of concrete poured in the ground, but may also be supported and fixed to an existing structure such as the ground or the roof of a building using anchor bolts. Furthermore, it is possible to utilize the strength of the breakwater wall of the quay as the strength of the exterior wall portion and construct a tsunami shelter close to the breakwater.

[0041] Furthermore, the exterior walls are not limited to being made of reinforced concrete, but may also be made of metal or synthetic resin, for example. Similarly, the shelter body is not limited to fiber-reinforced plastic, but may also be made of metal or other translucent resin material, and if a translucent material is used, it is possible to let in light from outside the shelter.

[0042] Furthermore, the shelter body and outer wall are not limited to being approximately circular in shape when viewed from above; for example, they may be elliptical or rectangular, and the shelter body and outer wall are not limited to being identical in shape when viewed from above.

[0043] Furthermore, the structure of the shelter body 2 is not limited as long as at least the upper part is sealed and a living space is secured inside. For example, multiple entrances may be formed below the living space. Also, providing doors at each opening is effective in preventing the intrusion of rubble and water. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0044] 1 Shelter 2. Shelter body 3 Exterior wall 3A aisle 3a Top opening 3B Cover 3C ladder 4 floorboards 5. Cylindrical part 6 Entrance / exit 7 Peripheral wall 7a Bottom end 8 aperture 9. Convex part 11 Protrusion 12 Hanging branch 13 Standing part 13a Upper end 14 Flange section 15 Approach Section 16 connecting ports 17 Support part 18 Locking part 19 Anchor hook 20 Mooring member 20a, 20a Carabiner 333 External wall (divided body) 34 Bottom body (foundation) 23A aisle 23B Cover Body 23C ladder 23D side plate K Locking part S Living space Anchor

Claims

1. The shelter comprises a main body that is sealed at least at its upper level to secure a living space inside, and an outer wall that surrounds the main body to interfere with the mechanical effects on the main body caused by water and flowing objects generated by a tsunami, A tsunami shelter characterized in that the outer wall portion is supported by the ground or the like, and a passage extending upward along the outer wall portion is provided.

2. The tsunami shelter according to claim 1, characterized in that a passage covered by a cover is formed on the outer periphery side of the outer wall portion.

3. The tsunami shelter according to claim 1, characterized in that a ladder means is attached to the passageway extending upward along the outer wall.

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