A 1:5 scale prototype model of the SFAC design was recently tested at the newly built BUET’s Ship Model Testing Center (towing tank), operated by the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NAME). On January 8, 2025, BUET’s Architecture Department conducted experiments using the facility’s advanced wave-making capabilities. The scaled wave conditions were simulated in the towing tank to see the response of the SFAC prototype due to the movement of water and storm-generated waves.

With global warming accelerating sea-level rise,s Bangladesh faces a significant threat of submerging low-lying coastal areas. To address this pressing issue, a visionary initiative led by Architects in partnership with BD+P, BUET, and JJS aims to design self-sustaining, off-grid floating structures for vulnerable communities. These floating houses, schools, and mosques, collectively known as the Self-Sustaining Floating Architecture Concept (SFAC), will provide clean water, improved hygiene, and a better standard of living for affected populations.

Due to its capability of generating continuous repeatable waves, the towing tank is the ideal facility for testing the SFAC prototype. The experiment simulated three scaled wave conditions based on those induced by Cyclone Mora in 2017. The first condition represented a regular storm, with wave characteristics milder than those experienced during Cyclone Mora. The second condition closely replicated the severe storm generated wave conditions of Cyclone Mora, providing valuable insights into the SFAC’s performance under such scenarios. The last condition called for waves more powerful than Cyclone Mora, further testing the structure's resiliency and stability in very extreme wave conditions. Because of this process, the design was certain to be safe and reasonable under normal operating conditions.

The tests and subsequent data interpretation were carried out with active cooperation from the Architecture Department, BUET, in collaboration with the NAME Department. Using the towing tank allowed for the gathering of critical insight that will further hone the design of the SFAC and make it more resilient in extreme water conditions.

This successful application of the BUET towing tank thus underlines its versatility apart from traditional marine research in supporting innovative architectural solutions for climate adaptation.