Dr Youssef Rashed from Egypt has created the Plate Package (PLPAK). The PLPAK software checks technical drawings and building plans to certify their structural integrity and make sure they will be safe to build.
The software uses a boundary element method, which allows it to analyse the practicality of building foundations and slabs. Engineers can then use these simplified representations easily and eliminate human error from the building equation.
African cities are experiencing rapid growth in infrastructure and population, and their architecture needs to be structurally sound. Africa has a reputation for poor infrastructure, often leading to the collapse of buildings and the loss of lives. Checking the structural integrity often gets neglected because the tests are too expensive, which is why an inexpensive and simple tool such as PLPAK is a crucial development.
Rashed’s PLPAK software has been nominated for the 2016 Innovation Prize for Africa, which will be held in Gaborone from the 22 to 23 June.
