Succeeded in developing a “simple tent” for disaster response

Taiyo Kogyo Corporation

(Tokyo Head Office: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo; Osaka Head Office: Yodogawa-ku, Osaka; President: Hidefumi Araki), a “membrane shop” that manufactures large membrane surface structures (tent structures), has developed a “simple tent” that can be lifted by crane and set up in a short time in emergencies such as large-scale disasters, and has successfully set it up on a trial basis. The company has succeeded in test setting up the tent.

The “Simple Tent” developed by Taiyo Kogyo is a temporary shed with a suspension structure that can be erected in only 10 minutes by lifting a single large sheet with a crane. The company began studying the possibility of using the tent not only for emergency use in the event of a large-scale disaster, but also for various events in April of this year, providing a space for shelter from the sun and rain “more quickly and easily” while ensuring safety. (Patent pending)

The large sheets of the “tent curtains” are made of vinyl chloride resin-coated synthetic fibers (flameproof material), a material with a proven track record used in industrial tent warehouses. The material is then secured at six points around the perimeter by wires and other means.

In the development of the “simple tent,” our emphasis was on achieving “quick setup” while maintaining safety. This was based on our on-site experience of being among the first to arrive in disaster-stricken areas after large-scale disasters such as the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and the Great East Japan Earthquake, and providing storage space for disaster relief supplies and primary evacuation centers.

While pillar-less interior spaces are useful for disaster sites, conventional large tents require time and labor to set up. On the other hand, small frame tents, which are familiar to people at athletic events, require a large number of tents to cover a large area, which in turn requires a great deal of detailed work. In addition, the large number of pillars required does not eliminate functional problems, such as the problem of rainwater damage that occurs in the valleys between tents.

The “Simple Tent” requires only about 10 minutes to set up, which is a significant time saving compared to the half to one day required for a temporary tent of the same size. On August 24, two types of tents were tested: a hanging type for emergency disaster situations, and a type with eight poles inside the tent for temporary facilities such as events, and it was confirmed that the tent can be set up safely in both cases.

Taiyo Kogyo has a wealth of experience in responding to disasters, and has played a part in emergency response to past large-scale disasters by introducing many large temporary tents that can accommodate 2,000 people and “McQuick Shelters,” which can be inflated with air beams and stand up in about one minute. In recent years, in cooperation with local tent and sheet industry associations, we have also been focusing on disaster prevention and mitigation efforts, such as signing agreements with nine municipalities as of August of this year to supply tent materials and other items in the event of a disaster.

The “simple tent” we have developed this time is part of our disaster prevention efforts, and we will continue to contribute to the realization of a society where people can live with peace of mind by promoting disaster preparedness in terms of both hardware and software.

Product name: Simplified tent
Use: For emergency use in the event of a large-scale disaster. (Assumed storage space for emergency relief supplies, primary evacuation space, etc.)
Assumed to be used for “various events” as normal use.
Space dimensions: 10m (length) x 20m (width) / Maximum roof height 5m~.
Structure: Suspension structure in which two points in the center of the tent (large sheet) are lifted by a crane to form a large roof (patent pending)
Material used: (1) Tent Material: vinyl chloride resin coated synthetic fiber membrane (flameproof) / Weight: approx. 300 kg
Central pole, perimeter pole, backstay cables, etc.
Heavy equipment used: Crane truck (16 or 25 tons)
Installation time: Approx. 10 min. total
Number of persons required: 6

Since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995, Taiyo Kogyo has focused on emergency relief activities for large-scale disasters. In the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, Taiyo Kogyo decided to provide free of charge an Alps tent with a capacity of 2,000 people the day after the disaster occurred, and has continued to contribute to local reconstruction efforts by supplying tents of various sizes.

Since 2017, Taiyo Kogyo has also been working with local tent and sheet industry associations to conclude agreements with various municipalities to supply “large tents” and other items in the event of a large-scale disaster. This agreement was established to prepare for the Nankai Trough earthquakes and the wind and flood damage that has been occurring frequently throughout Japan in recent years, and Taiyo Kogyo plans to continue to actively build a network in preparation for emergencies.