Damaged houses in Ezhikkara to be reinforced with climate-resilient construction material

Four houses in Ezhikkara panchayat of Ernakulam district, severely damaged by tidal flooding, will be reinforced using textile-reinforced concrete (TRC) — a salt- and alkali-resistant building material developed by the CSIR–Structural Engineering Research Centre (CSIR-SERC) — in an effort to promote climate-resilient housing.

The maintenance of one house will be funded under a research project of the Ministry of Textiles, while the other three will be jointly financed by Equinoct, a Kochi-based community-sourced modelling solution provider, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The initiative was launched at the request of the Ezhikkara panchayat, which also identified the beneficiaries.

“The necessary testing will be completed within a fortnight, the execution of the pilot project will begin in a month, and it will be wrapped up by March. The current practice of covering cracks with tiles by coastal residents could prove counterproductive,” said C.G. Madhusoodhanan, chief executive officer of Equinoct.

A three-member delegation from CSIR-SERC held discussions with the panchayat authorities led by president Seena Sajeev, and visited the selected houses for detailed structural assessments and technical feasibility studies. TRC is priced at ₹750 per square metre (less than ₹75 per square foot). Unlike conventional reinforced concrete, which relies on steel prone to corrosion in saline environments, TRC claims to use corrosion-resistant textile reinforcements that significantly enhance durability, strength, and lifespan in salt-exposed conditions.

The material is considered a potential safeguard against structural damage to houses and installations along coastal and backwater regions prone to saline water intrusion, tidal flooding, and coastal inundation. Repeated exposure to saline water accelerates the deterioration of conventional construction materials, leading to structural damage, frequent repairs, and unsafe living conditions. TRC claims to offer high resistance to salt and alkali exposure, reduced cracking, lighter structural elements, lower lifecycle maintenance costs, and flexibility for modular and rapid construction.

The houses repaired with TRC will be monitored for six months, covering the peak tidal flooding season after the monsoon, to assess how the material holds up and whether it demonstrates the climate-resilient characteristics claimed by CSIR-SERC. Mr. Madhusoodhanan noted that if proven effective, the project could be scaled up to cover more houses in affected areas. “Once TRC is included in the scheduled list of rates of the Public Works department and the Local Self-Government department, the panchayat can fund reinforcement of houses using the material,” he added.

The CSIR-SERC delegation comprised Smitha Gopinath of the Advanced Protective Structures Laboratory, Hemalatha of the Advanced Materials Laboratory, and Ramesh of the Advanced Concrete Testing and Evaluation Laboratory.