Pullit - The alternative pulled pallet in the last mile for the aid delivery by ai.designs

60-80% of the income of aid agencies is spent on logistics Making it the most expensive aspect of humanitarian assistance. Should it really be?

Preface

The humanitarian system faces grave challenges, as record numbers of people are displaced for longer periods by natural disasters and escalating conﬂicts. At the same time new technologies, partners, and concepts allow humanitarian actors to understand and address problems quickly and effectively. The goal of this study is to investigate the logistics of the humanitarian supply chain and see how Implementing industrial design skills for the post-destruction and especially for the logistics part could improve the way these activities work and how this will have a social impact on the people in need and help save lives and resources.

Acknowledgement

Using Industrial design for the Post-Destruction Bachelor thesis Abdelrahman Ibrahim WS 2020/2021 - 7. Sem Industrial Design supervisors: Prof. Sebastian Feucht Prof. Gisela Matthes Prof. Jan Vietze Dip. Julian Witte

I would like to thank all of you, who supported me during the preparation of my Thesis work, for the continuously positive feedbacks and encouragement with the long patience from your side. A special thank for Robert Rathnow for the assistance in the Visualization phase. Roald Uhlig for his help in the construction phase. It was a great journey full of learning.

Index

Page 01 Introduction

06 - motivation

02 Road map & methodology

03 The terms "catastrophe" & "disaster"

04 Disaster types

05 Humanitarian architecture

06 Humanitarian relief chain

07 Importance of logistics in the supply chain

08 Delivery of vaccines and the cold chain

09 Humanitarian logistics versus commercial logistics

10 The role of Transport

11 Modes of Transport

12 Road transport

13 Air drop supplies

14 Other modes of transport

15 Last mile

16 What is being transported

17 Reverse Logistics

18 Example gaps and needs in Cabo Delgado

19 Deﬁning humanitarian innovation

20 Desk research & observation

21 Affinity Diagram

22 What? How? Why?

23 Evaluation

24 How might we?

25 First Brieﬁng

- motivation - target

Discover Analyse

Design theoretical study

- actors - sectors - disaster phases

- motivation - target

- actors - sectors - disaster phases

Design Develope

Practice

26 Process analysis

27 Market research

28 First concept

29 Field expert feedback

30 Research-based Design

31 Function Analysis

32 Morphological matrix

33 Prototyping sketches

34 Prototyping & Simulation

35 Final product

List of ﬁgures

114

List of literature

118

I hereby affirm that I have written the present work independently and have not used any sources or aids other than those speciﬁed. I know that my work in the major „Industrial Design“ of the Design department is archived for documentation purposes - even in public.

Abdelrahman Ibrahim

01 Introduction

Motivation

Humanitarian aid aims to provide people in areas with destroyed or poor infrastructure. This aid must be provided until the population in the region concerned can once again become self-sufficient. If an aid project becomes necessary as a result of a natural disaster or a crisis triggered by human beings, this is also referred to as disaster relief. In addition to providing support immediately after a disaster, disaster relief involves longer-term projects to provide medical care, ensure food security, promote reconstruction or revive the economy in the affected areas. In rapid onset disasters simple procurement orders can take weeks or even months to arrive, impeding humanitarian operations. Research estimates 60-80% of humanitarian aid is spent on logistics (01), making it the most expensive aspect of humanitarian assistance. Existing supply chain practice includes; procurement, transportation, warehousing and ‘last mile’ distribution, this is often undertaken in an environment of considerable uncertainty and disrupted physical and communications infrastructure. Supply chain solutions to date have focused mainly on improving and optimizing the status quo. a relief operation can only be successful if the logistics are efficient. However, there are regular reports that show that this is not the case: airports that are overcrowded with large quantities of relief supplies, relief supplies that are not needed and warehouses that are full, but also insufficient storage capacity and delays in distribution of relief supplies. As I read in many news reports about aid supplies that were not delivered or were damaged during delivery, or about videos of volunteers walking back and forth between the destructions with a 50 kg bag of rice trying to deliver it. I would explore all possible ways to ﬁnd out how implementing industrial design skills could facilitate the way relief supplies are delivered. (0 1 ) ( "elrha.org" What is the humanitarian need?)

Fig. 01, Heavy 50kg sack rice should be carried on head! Fig. 02, Hand carts are used to transport water.

“The world today spends around 25 billion US$ to provide life-saving assistance to 125 million people devastated by wars and natural disaster. Over the last years conﬂicts and natural disasters have led to fastgrowing numbers of people in need and a funding gap for humanitarian action of an estimated 15 billion US$.” (02) ("higuide.elrha.org" Humanitarian innovation guide - innovation basics)

Fig. 03, A truck full with humanitarian reliefs. Fig. 04, Human chain transporting supplies from the truck to the warehouse.

Target analyze the delivery system after the aid supplies arrive in the destination country and how they are delivered and distributed to the exact destination. Attempting to ﬁnd a gap in the system that could be avoided. The end product could be a tool to transport many parcels at once where trucks cannot drive, or a tool for each volunteer to help transport the relief supplies for short distance, or a tool for each victim that can be used several times as a method of transport in a destructed environment with rough roads, or a new system for distributing the relief supplies to avoid any rush.

02 Road map & methodology Design thinking is about believing we can make a difference, and having an intentional process in order to get to new, relevant solutions that create positive impact. Design Thinking gives you faith in your creative abilities and a process for transforming difficult challenges into opportunities for design. (03) (03) ("ideo.com", Ideo design thinking for educators)

Discover

Analysis

Understand the Challenge Prepare Research Gather Inspiration

Tell Stories Search for Meaning Frame Opportunities

The Design Thinking process oscillates between divergent and convergent thinking modes.

I learned something. How do I interpret it?

2020

31.12 Theoretical study

I have a challenge. How do I approach it?

2021

Discover Ideate

Design

Generate Ideas Reﬁne Ideas

Make Prototypes Move Forward

Analysis

I have an idea. How do I build it?

Design

Ideate

11.05 Deadline

I see an opportunity. What do I create?

Discover

I have a challenge. How do I approach it? Understand the Challenge Prepare Research Gather Inspiration

Design

Ideate

Analysis

Discover

Fig. 05, Incoming cardboard packaging are almost destroyed because of the frequent transloading of supplies.

03 The terms "catastrophe" & "disaster" Deﬁnition of the term catastrophe The term “catastrophe” has an ancient Greek origin and is composed of two terms. On the one hand (kata), which means “downward direction” or “reversal”, and on the other hand (strophē), with the meaning “turn”. (0 4) A catastrophe can thus be deﬁned purely in terms of its terminology as a “The crucial turn of events to the ultimate worse”. (0 5 )

Deﬁnition of the term disaster A disaster is a sudden, calamitous event that seriously disrupts the functioning of a community or society and causes human, material, and economic or environmental losses that exceed the community’s or society’s ability to cope using its own resources. Though often caused by nature, disasters can have human origins. (VULNERABILITY + HAZARD ) / CAPACITY = DISASTER A disaster occurs when a hazard impacts on vulnerable people. The combination of hazards, vulnerability and inability to reduce the potential negative consequences of risk causes a disaster. (0 6 ) (04) ("Thefreedictionaty.com?") (05) (Treptow, 2007, p. 9) (06) ("ifrc.org", what is a disaster)

Fig. 06, Some disaster victims ﬂee the affected area.

04 Disaster types Disasters are frequently characterized by the hazards that drive them, the speed at which they occur, their severity, and the locations in which they occur. (0 7 ) DRIVERS NATURAL HAZARD-DRIVEN DISASTERS Natural hazards include earthquakes (geophysical), hurricanes (meteorological), ﬂoods (hydrological), droughts (climatological), or epidemics (biological). It’s the vulnerability of human populations and infrastructure to the impact of natural hazards and the disruption that follows that results in a disaster or crisis. In many humanitarian crises, internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees can end up living in cramped and unsanitary conditions, leading to disease epidemics, such as cholera. These are sometimes referred to as secondary humanitarian crises, and recent examples of these include Haiti in 2010 and Yemen in 2017. (07) (" higuide.elrha.org", Humanitarian innovation guide - types of disasters)

CONFLICT-DRIVEN DISASTERS Where an emergency is within and/or due to armed conflict, there are specific international laws, norms and standards that will dictate how humanitarian agencies should act. Conflicts can involve different types of armed actors such as state, non-state and mandated peacekeeping forces, and are often unpredictable, with periods of relative calm followed by acute surges of violence, sometimes referred to as a ‘spike’. Innovation in conflict zones presents its own unique challenges and requirements due to instability and logistical difficulties and the need to abide by humanitarian principles and standards. It is vital to ensure that any innovation activities are conflict-sensitive and adhere to the principle of ‘do no harm’. SPEED Emergencies begin, and develop, at different speeds, but there are three main types: Rapid onset, Slow onset and Protracted. LOCATIONS camps, urban and inaccessible locations.

Fig. 07, Hazards and disasters: classiﬁcation

05 Humanitarian architecture

The current humanitarian system was initially set up in the wake of World War II and was substantially reformed in the 1990s and 2000s. The system is a mix of laws, legal instruments, mandated and non-mandated organizations, structures, systems and processes. Fig. 08 provides an overview of the different approaches of structuring disaster relief in phases, the different sectors of a humanitarian relief and the actors.

ACTORS

There are multiple actors in the humanitarian system. They can be generally grouped into ﬁve categories: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

UN agencies Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) Governments Non-traditional actors (everybody else!)

SECTORS

Logistics, education, livelihoods, food security, water and sanitation and hygiene, health, nutrition, shelter & protection.

Key insight: During this thesis, the focus will be on the logistics which is managed by the world food program ( WFP ), which is mostly happening during the response phase Fig. 08, ("Humanitarian architecture")

DISASTER PHASES

Numerous authors have divided disaster management into phases to enable a structured view. Most authors deﬁne three or four phases in disaster relief (0 8 ) , which differ mainly in the naming and partly in their underlying tasks.

01 MITIGATION PHASE (09) This phase includes actions taken to prevent or reduce the cause, impact, and consequences of disasters. Examples of hazard mitigation include: ‹ Tying down homes or barns with ground anchors to withstand wind damage ‹ Digging water channels to redirect water and planting vegetation to absorb water ‹ Constructing levees or permanent barriers to control ﬂooding ‹ Reinforcing fencing to prevent animal escapes

03 RESPONSE The response phase occurs in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. During the response phase, business and other operations do not function normally. Personal safety and wellbeing in an emergency and the duration of the response phase depend on the level of preparedness. Examples of response activities include: ‹ Implementing disaster response plans ‹ Conducting search and rescue missions ‹ Taking actions to protect yourself, your family, your animals, and others

‹ Buying insurance policies

‹ Addressing public perceptions about food safety

02 PREPAREDNESS This phase includes planning, training, and educational activities for events that cannot be mitigated. Examples include:

04 RECOVERY During the recovery period, restoration efforts occur concurrently with regular operations and activities. The recovery period from a disaster can be prolonged.

‹ Developing disaster preparedness plans for what to do, where to go, or who to call for help in a disaster ‹ Exercising plans through drills, tabletop exercises, and full-scale exercises ‹ Creating a supply list of items that are useful in a disaster ‹ Walking around a farm and identifying possible vulnerabilities to high winds

Examples of recovery activities include: ‹ Preventing or reducing stress-related illnesses and excessive ﬁnancial burdens ‹ Rebuilding damaged structures based on advanced knowledge obtained from the preceding disaster ‹ Reducing vulnerability to future disasters (08) (Kovács und Spens, 2007) (09) ("training.fema.gov", Emergency Management in the United States)

06 Humanitarian relief chain

Humanitarian aid aims to provide people in areas with destroyed or poor infrastructure with many losses ( see next page ). This aid must be provided until the population in the region concerned can once again become selfsufficient. In addition to providing support in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, Disaster Relief also implements longer-term projects to provide medical care, ensure food security, promote reconstruction or revive the economy in the affected areas.

Similar to commercial supply chains, supplies flow through the relief chain via a series of long-haul and short-haul shipments. The distribution system used in humanitarian relief operations may depend on each situation’s characteristics. The distribution of emergency supplies for a typical disaster relief operation involving international actors as shown in Fig. 09 & Fig. 10. First, relief supplies from different locations throughout the world arrive at a primary hub (seaports, airports). Next, supplies are shipped to a secondary hub (large, permanent warehouses in larger cities), where they are stored, sorted, and transferred to tertiary temporary hubs (local distribution centers). Finally, LDCs deliver relief supplies to beneficiaries through the last mile distribution. In this study, I'm considering the logistical operations in a humanitarian relief chain from the local port through LDCs to the people in need. Last mile distribution is the final stage of the relief chain; it refers to delivery of relief supplies from LDCs to the people in the affected areas (demand locations) The most significant logistical problems in the last mile generally stem from the limitations related to transportation resources and emergency supplies, difficulties due to damaged transportation infrastructure, and lack of coordination among relief actors.

Key insight: In this study, I'm considering the logistical operations in a humanitarian relief chain from the local port through LDCs to the people in need.

Fig. 09, The humanitarian reliefs chain

LOSSES AFTER DISASTERS 1. Varying degrees of property loss/destruction: Loss of shelter (from slight to complete), Loss of land, vegetation, and/or resources, Loss of protection from weather, heat, environment (infection, diseases), Loss of Physical Security (human, creepy crawlers, and predators) 2. Loss of clean water: No drinking, No bathing/shower, No ﬂushing, No water for water heater, No water for sanitizing, No hot water, No water for cleaning, And maybe no water at all 3. Loss of food: Access, Supply Contamination, Spoilage 4. Loss of medical care and sanitation capabilities. 5. Loss of power source (electrical, fuel, steam, natural gas): Loss of light, Loss of heat, Loss of cooling, Loss of ALL appliances 6. Loss of communication: Loss of telephone, Loss of TV, Loss of radio (transmit or receive signal), Loss of satellite (wind, cloud, lightning, power signal conversion, reception, or battery loss).

Fig. 10, The humanitarian reliefs chain

07 Importance of logistics in the supply chain Logistics plays a central role in the context of humanitarian aid. It is essential for the transport of aid supplies and people to and from the disaster area and determines the success of humanitarian aid. In addition, the use and distribution of logistical methods is essential to support regions in their economic development in a sustainable manner, reducing poverty and the associated hunger and malnutrition. While commercial logistics has steadily gained in strategic importance for corporate success in recent decades, the importance of humanitarian logistics has only been recognized in recent years.

"Up to 80% of a relief operation consists of logistical tasks."(10) Accordingly, a relief operation can only be successful if logistics are efficient (10). However, there are regular reports that show that this is not the case: airports that are overcrowded with large quantities of relief supplies, relief supplies that are not needed and ﬁll warehouses, but also insufficient storage capacity and delays in the distribution of relief supplies (11). Especially in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, logistical processes are usually very unorganized and far from efficient (12). This situation is exacerbated by the fact that the actors in humanitarian logistics are often only able to react once a disaster has already occurred. As a result, logistical decisions have to be made quickly and based solely on the experience of the staff. A careful evaluation of the current situation is often not possible (13). In addition, efficient logistical systems support the development of an economy through access to markets for the population living in rural areas, providing the basis for poverty reduction. (10) (van Wassenhove, 2006, p. 475–489) (11) (Hoffman, 2005, p. 269) (12) (Cassidy, 2003, p. 15-16) (13) (Besiou u.a.., 2010)

Key insight: Up to 80% of a relief operation consists of logistical tasks. Accordingly a relief operation can only be successful if the logistics are efficient Key insight: airports that are overcrowded with large quantities of relief supplies, relief supplies that are not needed and ﬁll warehouses, but also insufficient storage capacity and delays in the distribution of relief supplies Key insight: efficient logistical systems support the development of an economy even for the recovery phase ( after the disaster )

08 Delivery of vaccines and the cold chain One of the key organizational challenges today is to get vital pharmaceutical supplies to hard-to reach communities. Often airport or ocean port locations in remote countries lack access to cool room facilities. This so called ‘last mile’ logistics for temperature sensitive products, like vaccines and reagents, calls for even more critical planning to ensure an unbroken cold chain.

Key insight: Often airport or ocean port locations in remote countries lack access to cool room facilities.

Close coordination with logistics providers early in the program allows for critical steps to be analyzed and outlined correctly. Planning upstream, often from the originating locations of the goods, ensures a smoother last mile delivery. Pre-clearance solutions, allowing the release of goods immediately upon arrival at ports, is an example of this supply chain planning. It also enables immediate repacking with dry ice or gel packs before the move to an inland chilled storage location, often far away. (14) (14) ("aidforum.org", Supply Chain Planning: critical for last mile delivery)

The national authorities in sub-Saharan Africa generally procure drugs internationally or regionally/locally depending on availability, quality and cost. The drugs are usually delivered by sea if procured internationally or by road if procured regionally / locally. After arrival of the drugs at the port, transport service providers are assigned, the goods are unloaded and transferred to trucks. In the central warehouse of the health ministries, the medicines are picked and transported by local carriers to regional warehouses. Here they are taken by smaller means of transport, such as jeeps and 3.5-ton trucks, to the district warehouses, where nurses or "pharmacists" arrive with bicycles, mopeds and jeeps to procure drugs for hospitals, pharmacies and health centers at the market and village levels. The pharmacies at the market level are often small kiosks that sell a wide variety of goods. (15)

Key insight: Vaccines are locally being transported by smaller means of transport, such as jeeps and 3.5-ton trucks, to the district warehouses, where nurses or "pharmacists" arrive with bicycles, mopeds and jeeps to procure drugs for hospitals, pharmacies and health centers at the market and village levels.

(15) (Schwarz, 2012, p. 68)

Fig. 11, Transporting vaccine in cool boxes carried on the back. Walking on feet

09 Humanitarian logistics versus commercial logistics Business logistics and commercial supply chains are sophisticated operations based on forecast demand, inventory control and a number of models that optimise a dynamic and fast moving system. Humanitarian supply chains are essentially the same but with the following signiﬁcant differences: •

unpredictable demand in terms of timing, geographic location, type of commodity, quantity of commodity; (16)

•

short lead time and suddenness of demand for large amounts of a wide variety of products and services; (16)

•

high humanitarian stakes regarding timelines in the face of a sophisticated global media and the high anticipatory attention of the donors; (16)

•

lack of initial resources in terms of supply, human resource, technology, capacity and funding. (16)

•

Infrastructure often has been destroyed

•

hindering communications and transportation

•

the consumers are not clients

•

efficient implementation of aid activities is necessary due to the dependence on human life

•

Due to local infrastructure damage, there is an increased complexity of route selection within the last-mile distribution area (17)

•

every disaster operation involves uncertainties regarding the safety of personnel, relief supplies and materials

(16) ("dlca.logcluster.org", logistics) (17) (Kovacs and Spens, 2009, p. 510)

Key insight: Infrastructure often has been destroyed, & lack of initial resources in terms of supply, human resource, technology, capacity and funding. & an efficient implementation of aid activities is necessary due to the dependence on human life & Due to local infrastructure damage, there is an increased complexity of route selection within the last-mile distribution

Fig. 12, Overloaded vehicles transporting supplies through rough muddy terrain

relief

Fig. 13, DHL vehicle delivering commercial parcels in the city with high quality infrastructure

10 The role of Transport

In the humanitarian context, transport is deﬁned as: “The activities involved in moving supplies from point of origin to internal customers or beneﬁciaries”. The role of transport is to facilitate the movement of physical goods. In the humanitarian context, this might include: • • •

Transport from manufacturing facilities, donors, and storage or prepositioning locations Delivery to regional warehouses, country level warehouses, offices and distribution points Carriage between warehouses, hubs and ﬁeld locations

The source and destination may be in the same country, or one may be in a different country requiring international movement. The rapid growth of technology and the changes in the delivery of humanitarian aid has done little to change the fact that relief supplies still have to be collected and delivered via some physical form of the transmission. Even though new technologies have enhanced the speed at which cargo can be transported or monitored, the basic concepts surrounding transportation have remained largely the same for many years. A good transport system fulﬁlls the "rights" of supply chain management. That is: • • • • • • •

The right good Delivered to the right recipient In the right quantities In the right condition At the right location In the right time For the right price

In an ideal scenario, goods will arrive as scheduled, at the right price, in maximized loads with no breakages or pilferage. (18) (18) ("dlca.logcluster.org", transport)

Key insight: In an ideal scenario, goods will arrive as scheduled, at the right price, in maximized loads with no breakages or pilferage.

Developing a Transport Strategy A transport strategy in a humanitarian context varies from one organization to another and from one situation to another. and is largely dependent on the needs of the response. Some factors to consider when developing a transport strategy are: (18) • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Key insight: Nature of goods/products/ supplies to be transported, Available transport modes & their relative costs

How to identify transport service providers How to manage transport – self managed or third-party provided Capacity of transport modes available Quantities of goods requiring movement over time Nature of goods/products/supplies to be transported Distances to be covered Environmental issues such as climate, government legislature, and infrastructure Number of destinations, hubs and pre-positioning locations Origins, routes, and destinations Available transport modes & their relative costs Human resources available Security along the transport route Special circumstances, such as the nature of disaster

(18) ("dlca.logcluster.org", transport)

Fig. 14, The Sherp ( an all-terrain vehicle ) uses a trailer to transport supplies over rough terrain.

11 Modes of Transport

Relative speed

Cost efficiency

Flexibility

eco-friendly

Capacity

Reliability

Multi-modal solutions may provide the most effective and efficient transport option. (18) Whilst the physical characteristics of certain goods and supplies may determine a specific mode of transport, most goods will be capable of being moved by a variety of modes. Customer requirements and constraints on the organization providing the transport must be considered. In humanitarian aid situations, it is often environmental factors, such as the destruction of roads and railways that have a significant impact on mode selection. It is important to fully recognize the operational characteristics of the mode or modes that have been selected. It is also necessary to consider the type of vehicle or equipment that will be used within that mode. Prior to making a decision on the mode of transport, it would be useful to create a matrix ranking of influential factors for choosing transport modes. Some factors to consider in the rating: (18) • • • • • • • • • •

Required delivery date Cost of transport service Reliability and service quality Shipment size and item type Anticipated transit time Number of transshipment points Range of different services offered by a third-party provider Modes that realistically cannot be considered should be ruled out of the decision process immediately Geographical factors should be considered, as they may remove the opportunity to use a particular mode Lack of appropriate infrastructure may also remove the opportunity to use a particular mode

(18) ("dlca.logcluster.org", transport)

Key insight: Multi-modal solutions may provide the most effective and efficient transport option. Key insight: the physical characteristics of certain goods and supplies may determine a speciﬁc mode of transport, most goods will be capable of being moved by a variety of modes.

Limited and ﬁxed infrastructure

Rail Relative speed

Large consignments from port of eco-friendly

discharge to inland operation site; ecological Economical; large loading capacity;

Cost efficiency

Capacity

range and speed (context depending) Difficulty ﬁnding freight cars; frequent delays; transshipping required;

Flexibility

Reliability

inﬂexible; limited tracking

Extensive Network Short and medium distances from

Road Relative speed

neighboring country to operation site; eco-friendly

internal transport for short and medium distances Relatively fast; no transshipment; direct

Cost efficiency

Capacity

delivery; ﬂexible; cost Roads may be dangerous or blocked; sometimes driver nationality or vehicle

Flexibility

Reliability

registration not acceptable

Restricted Network Large quantities; less urgent; pre

Sea/river Relative speed

positioning phase; long distances with eco-friendly

no time constraint Economical; large loading capacity; no restriction on loading capacity; cheap

Cost efficiency

Capacity

Slow; transshipping at ports; use as a second means of transport at high volumes; higher theft risk in ports; not

Flexibility

Reliability

ﬂexible

Limited Network Emergency phase; expensive goods; fragile or perishable goods; cold chain; no alternative option; small shipments;

Air Relative speed

e.g. diplomatic pouches; long distance eco-friendly

with time constraint. Fast; reliable; limited losses; direct;

Cost efficiency

Capacity

easy tracking and tracing Expensive; restricted to journey’s between airports; restricted loading

Flexibility

Reliability

capacity; special considerations (dangerous goods, size limits, packing, etc.) 25

12 Road transport

Road transport is by far the most ubiquitous methods of moving cargo globally. Road transport also happens to be something that individuals or shippers can easily managed directly without having to go through a broker or third party. Trucks and vehicles can frequently be sourced locally, even in the early days of an emergency response, though quality of vehicles and roads may vary.

Common Terms in Road Transport (19) Key insight: Road transport is by far the most ubiquitous methods of moving cargo globally. Key insight: border crossing points or points at which ownership changes hands. Can be used to speed up delivery to ﬁnal destination. Key insight: ﬂat surfaces, enclosed, refrigerated, two part (close-coupled) or some variation of therein. Key insight: intermodal frequently refers to the use of shipping containers that can be loaded between different vessels and vehicles as a single unit without having to offload cargo.

Transloading: The act of loading goods directly from one truck to another truck, frequently done at border crossing points or points at which ownership changes hands. Can be used to speed up delivery to final destination. Tractor: A powered vehicle with a heavy-duty engine specifically designed to pull large loads on trailers. Tractors usually run on diesel fuel, have multi-ratio gears, and come in the form of a large cab. Trailer An unpowered, multi axle platform that is pulled by a tractor. Trailers can have many configurations, including being flat surfaces, enclosed, refrigerated, two part (close-coupled) or some variation of therein. Semi-truck / tractor trailer truck The combination of a tractor coupled with a trailer, joined with an articulated joint (drawbar) that enables enhanced maneuverability. Lift gate A self-powered platform connected to the rear of a truck that will lift pallets/heavy cargo without the need for manual loading. Intermodal The act of switching between two modes of transport. In trucking, intermodal frequently refers to the use of shipping containers that can be loaded between different vessels and vehicles as a single unit without having to offload cargo. Porter: Human, hand loading and offloading. Porters are heavily used in humanitarian contexts. (19) ("dlca.logcluster.org", Road+Transport)

Key insight: The process of loading and offloading trucks can be very dangerous. Flatbed, box or drop side vehicles may be loaded with the assistance of machinery such as forklifts or small cranes, both of which may move excessively heavy loads that can fall and injure bystanders. Key insight: The main sources of vehicle theft are from depots, from overnight parking areas and from the roadside.

Loader/Porter Safety - The process of loading and offloading trucks can be very dangerous. Flatbed, box or drop side vehicles may be loaded with the assistance of machinery such as forklifts or small cranes, both of which may move excessively heavy loads that can fall and injure bystanders. The area around trucks should be cleared of unnecessary personnel, and any designated persons should be clearly marked with high visibility vests. • •

•

Porters should not carry cargo of excessive bulkiness or weight. If the loading point does not have a drive up loading bay, porters should be able to safely step up and down from the vehicle bed without jumping or climbing. Porters should only be expected to load for reasonable amounts of time, with breaks in between. Ideally loading teams would be split; 2-4 loaders on the truck and the necessary number of loaders carrying goods to and from the warehouse/depot/discharge point, reducing the need to enter or exit the vehicle. Porters should be monitored for unsafe behavior or possible security concerns.

In-transit Theft – The main sources of vehicle theft are from depots, from overnight parking areas and from the roadside. Theft can be committed by stealing an unattended vehicle, forcibly hi-jacking a vehicle, or bribing drivers. Drivers are central to prevention of this type of loss, and their integrity is essential. Consequently, careful recruitment and selection of drivers is critical. Training will impress upon them the need for care, and procedures to follow to avoid risk of theft. Driver identiﬁcation cards can be used for added security and to avoid thieves gaining access to vehicles by misrepresentation when parked on third party premises. However, there is little to prevent deliberate collusion by drivers. Vigilance is essential and attention to any pattern of discrepancies on loads. A thief intending to steal a loaded vehicle beneﬁts from: • • • • •

Knowledge of an attractive load. The opportunity to access it. Time to steal it and to get away before detection. A market for the goods. Limited or negligible perception of risk.

(19) ("dlca.logcluster.org", Road+Transport) Fig. 15, Types of vehicles for road transportation

12 Road transport Cargo Conﬁguration for Road Shipping Cartons / sacks when loading cartons or sacks into the bed of a truck, avoid stacking in pyramid or forming piles. Cartons and sacks should be stacked in even rows, as low to the bed of the truck as possible. Stacks should be arranged in interlocking "brick” format to avoid stacks from coming apart, and where possible, stacks of cartons or sacks should be secured with netting, tarp or rope, especially if the truck bed has no sides. Bulky items bulky items such as timber, generators, or other large equipment should be ﬁrmly secured to bed of a truck using rope or chain of appropriate strength.

Loading Vehicles Unlike sea or air cargo transportation, humanitarian actors will almost certainly be involved with the direct loading of cargo vehicles at some point. Loading of cargo onto a truck may appear fairly straight forward, however there are several things that shippers may need to consider. Frequently, third-party transport companies and private vehicle hires may understand the loading needs of their own vehicles, but in the event agencies are self-managing loading or the third-party service does not have the capacity to mange loading, organizations may have to take the lead. The overall balance of the load on the bed or cargo hold of any truck varies based on the body, while the overall weight limits of each of the vehicles varies based on the vehicle itself – prior to planning a cargo load, it is strongly advised to research the type of vehicle to avoid accidents. Single unit or conventional trucks are designed to carry 70-80% of cargo weight over the rear axle, balancing the load of the cargo against the weight of the cab. (19) ("dlca.logcluster.org", Road+Transport)

When planning a load on a trailer, consider the “X” planning strategy – if a line is drawn between each of the wheels where they make contact with the road, where the two lines intersect to form an “X” is where the center of gravity for any cargo load should go.

When loading cab over engine or conventional pickup trucks with heavy cargo loads, start above the rear axle with weight distributed just before the axle towards the center of the bed. Loads pushed too close to the cab can obscure the rear view of the driver, will increase the distance required to break/stop, and may reduce traction to the road due to uneven weight distribution. Loads pushed too far to the rear will be more unstable and can also cause problems with traction. Loads sticking far off the rear of a smaller truck should be avoided whenever possible – excessively long loads not only cause weight imbalance to the vehicle, but may be hazardous to other vehicles and passengers. When loading all vehicle types, ensure that cargo weight is also centered in along the short edge of the bed as well. Cargo weight too far to one side or another can lead to instability in the vehicle, impacting turning or even leading to vehicles tipping over. (19) ("dlca.logcluster.org", Road+Transport)

13 Air drop supplies

It´s raining supplies Destroyed or ﬂooded roads, cut-off areas - these are the situations humanitarian organizations are often confronted with. The airdrop of relief supplies can ﬁll gaps in the supply chain. It can provide medicine, food and even urgently needed medical instruments as fast as possible. Because of the high costs and complex logistics, it's mostly only the military that can afford and provide this airborne aid. (20) ("CADUS.org - AERU - Airborne Emergency Response Unit")

Key insight: Air drop supplies isn't the ideal sollution to transport aids because of the high costs and complex logistics.

"In 2018, 60,667 MT of food were airdropped to 81 drop zones in South Sudan." "In 2018, 14,912 MT of cargo was airlifted to 19 countries." ( 2 1 ) ( W F P S U P P LY C H A I N A N N U A L R E P O RT 2018 , p.23)

Key insight: The aviation service enables WFP to deliver assistance to vulnerable people on locations that cannot be accessed by any othe means. Key insight: Airdrops are resorted to when inaccessible roads, insecurity, destroyed or ﬂooded roads, cut-off areas and lack of proximity to a waterway make access impossible other than by air. Fig. 17, Airdrops is the only way to cut-off areas.

Fig. 16, Even when airdrops is costly, sometimes it's the only way to transport reliefs

(22) (WFP Supply chain 2019 annual report)

14 Other modes of transport

Inland Waterways and Rivers (23) Where road and rail transport are not possible due to lack of infrastructure it may be necessary to transport goods by river, delta, marshes, canals or other form of inland waterways. The mode of transport will be informed by the nature of the inland waterway, including depth, water current, necessity for speed of delivery, and ability to load/offload at remote locations and destinations. Barges Under very specific circumstances, barges can be an extremely costeffective way of moving large volumes of cargo relatively large distances. Barges are wide, flat river vessels with low edges, have flat bottoms, and have a shallow draft. This makes barges ideal for use in calm flat and shallow waters like a river, but largely unsuitable for turbulent waters like the open ocean. Barges can come in two configurations: • •

Self-propelled Dumb Barges

Barge movement is likely the cheapest mode of moving cargo inland into a country, however it has limitations. Barging operations are extremely slow; the loading and offloading process can take days or weeks depending on the load type and the journey itself can take weeks to accomplish. Barges are also further limited by the ability to safely moor and offload at the point of delivery. Barges themselves can be impacted by seasonal changes to the river-way, making areas impassable for periods of time. (23) ("dlca.logcluster.org", other modes of transport)

Key insight: Sometimes using traditional ways like boats and animals is much costeffective than using modern ways like airdrops. Key insight: Barge movement is likely the cheapest mode of moving cargo inland into a country,

Boats Inland water ways can be navigated by boats of the appropriate sizes. Smaller boats have the advantage of moving quickly and ﬁtting into smaller water inlets, however will also be limited in the volume of cargo they can carry. Agencies may wish to rent or lease their own boats for rapid response operations. There may also be large riverway shipping operations on vessels capable of carrying relatively large volumes of cargo. Utilizing third-party riverway shipping should be treated the same as utilizing any local third-party transport. Animals

Key insight: Speaking with a local expert is strongly advised when developing an animal delivery plan.

Any goods being moved via animal must be packaged in relation to the weight that the particular animal can safely and humanely carry. There are many possible variations of available local animals depending on geography, climate, the local economy, and a variety of other local conditions. Speaking with a local expert is strongly advised when developing an animal delivery plan.

Key insight: River deliveries are an excellent alternative to costly airdrops

Fig. 18, Using boats as a cheaper alternative for the costly airdrops

15 Last mile

Last mile distribution is the ﬁnal stage of a humanitarian relief chain; it refers to delivery of relief supplies from local distribution centers (LDCs) to beneﬁciaries affected by disasters. (24) What makes humanitarian logistics quite different from its commercial counterpart is ‘the last mile’ – not from port or airport to a convenient warehouse but quite literally the last mile. This can mean having to use any means of transport available, including bicycles, donkeys, camels and elephants. As part of this thesis, I will look for optimization opportunities to facilitate this phase by simplifying the unloading process from the previous transport method and looking for an innovative way to transport the reliefs along these last miles. (24) ("trid.trb.org", Last Mile Distribution in Humanitarian Relief)

Key insight: having to use any means of transport available, including bicycles, donkeys, camels and elephants.

" More than 800 million people – one in nine people globally - are facing chronic hunger, unable to meet their basic food requirements not just today but day after day in their lives. For the most part, the causes of hunger remain the same – conﬂict, the climate crisis and economic marginalization. " (25) ("wfp.org", WFP News Video for World Food Day 2019)

Fig. 19, Transporting vaccine in the last mile might not be as easy as we imagine in cities! A man uses his bicycle to transport vaccine, but because of the mud, he had to carry both the cool box and his bicycle on his shoulder to cross the mud..

16 What is being transported

As seen in the section on losses during disasters ( on page 17 ), a large amount of relief supplies should be transported to help people in need get back on their feet after a disaster. These relief supplies can be categorized in many ways. (26) Cold Chain Items which require a constant temperature range for storage and transport. If applied, then the range needs to be indicated on the form. Dangerous Goods items which can be considered hazardous or dangerous cargo through international shipping standards. Examples are lithium batteries, items containing fuel or petroleum products, or other chemicals. All such items will have a corresponding UN ID number which should be utilized Regulated Items which may have locally implemented restrictions. For example, medicinal alcohol being shipped where in countries where alcohol is illegal. Fragile These are any goods which require sensitive handling or careful storage (e.g. electronics or glass) (26) There are some useful examples of common responses to humanitarian crises beside the food and medicine supplies: Blankets Soaps cement 50kg bag jerry cans keep cool boxes Mosquito Nets Sleeping Mats Tarpaulin zink sheeting (26) ("logcluster.org", User Instructions)

Global Logistics Cluster

Category Camp Coordination and Camp Management Early Recovery

Description

Common Examples

Items for the installation and support of refugee or IDP camp infrastructure

Cement, timber, shovels, portable containers

Supporting materials for programmes involved in restoration of public service or livelihood programmes

Wheelbarrows, shovels, stationary

School and student support equipment

Text books, stationary, construction materials, desks

Products for direct nutritional support of the beneficiary

High Energy Biscuits, vegetable oil, maize, rice, plumpy nut, milk

Items not directed towards the beneficiary and not covered by other categories.

Office supplies, stationary, desks

General Program

Any item required to support sectorial programs

Vouchers, distribution cards

Health

Any material required for the medical support of beneficiaries

Bandages, portable operating theatres, medicines

Logistics

Materials required for the direct logistical support of programmes

Fuel, motor oil, vehicles, generators, portable warehouses

Education

Food Security

General Operations

Protection

Shelter

Telecommunications

WASH

(26) ("logcluster.org", User Instructions)

Any item used to directly support programmes aimed at ensuring all people are protected in accordance with their human rights

Advocacy materials, mine action / removal equipment, debris removal items

Materials used to protect beneficiaries from the elements

Tarpaulins, tents, plywood, nails, mattresses, blankets , plastic sheeting

Equipment required to directly support field radio and information communications

Radios, satellite phones, radio towers

Water, sanitation and hygiene products for beneficiaries

Water purification tablets, personal hygiene kits, chlorine, sanitary kits

www.logcluster.org

17 Reverse Logistics

Key insight: Reverse logistics includes activities to avoid returns, to reduce materials in the forward system so that fewer items ﬂow back, and to ensure the possible reuse and recycling of materials and packaging

Reverse logistics was traditionally defined as the process of moving a product from its point of consumption to the point of origin to recapture value or ensure proper disposal. It is one of the fastest developing fields of business logistics, with the result that it is continuously changing in scope and significance. Reverse logistics includes activities to avoid returns, to reduce materials in the forward system so that fewer items flow back, and to ensure the possible reuse and recycling of materials and packaging (27).

Types of Reverse Logistics Reverse logistics covers a broad range of items and activities and can include: • • • • •

Key insight: dual purposes as in the case of large bladders, wooden pallets, cooking drums, fuel drums,

Movement of capital items and equipment to the next emergency response; Removal of containers and packaging from response area; Destruction of spoiled food commodities and out of date pharmaceuticals; Return of rejected goods to the suppliers; Movement of excess or over-supplied goods to other programs or organizations.

Aspects of Reverse Logistics PACKAGING Where possible, packaging materials could serve dual purposes as in the case of large bladders, wooden pallets, cooking drums, fuel drums, etc. Some examples are listed below. Wooden pallets vs. plastic pallets • • • •

Wooden pallets, though less expensive, may contain pests which can devastate indigenous agricultural industries. Many countries have now restricted the clearance for wooden pallets from many areas to combat the pest issue. Wooden pallets have to be treated with chemicals limiting the burning of these for ﬁrewood as toxic and not environmentally friendly. Plastic pallets can ensure a multiple reuse by the local population.

REVERSE LOGISTICS OCCURS WHEN THERE IS: downscaling of activities: • goods have to be moved to different programs or disposed, • evacuation due to insecurity - may result in the suspension of activities when goods have already been purchased and have to be returned to the supplier or used in other programs; closure of programs or handover of emergency response phase; product recalls (goods re-called by the manufacturer); rejected goods returned to the vendor: • wrong orders, • wrong deliveries, • deliveries delayed and goods no longer useful to the program, • damaged goods, • goods on warranty or going for repair; back-trucking of packaging materials for re-use or disposal. In all instances listed above, there are cost implications that should be taken into consideration during the budgeting and planning period.

Key insight: In all instances listed above, there are cost implications that should be taken into consideration during the budgeting and planning period.

(27) ("dlca.logcluster.org", Reverse Logistics)

Fig. 20, Empty pallets and containers must be returned for reuse or recycling, which costs money.

18 Example gaps and needs in Cabo Delgado Key insight: To facilitate transport by air and sea, mechanisms must be found to facilitate and simplify loading and unloading procedures at the airport and port

Road Transportation •

Only 20% of roads are paved and 80% are dirt roads. Heavy rains have further aggravated the already critical access situation, cutting off the access to the center and north of the province.

Humanitarian access Humanitarian access is limited for the following reasons: • The collapse of the bridges over Montepuez and Messalo rivers caused a reduction in road access due to damage to the infrastructure after heavy rains. • The security situation in the center and north of Cabo Delgado Province. Air and sea/river transport •

• • Fig. 21, Humanitarian workers carrying relief supplies on their heads to the ship waiting in the port of Loading.

The port of Mocimboa da Praia has a limited capacity for boats with a maximum of 3 meters and the port is congested due to the low capacity of handling 40-foot containers Use of small boats only for the transport of passengers and no boats dedicated only to the transport of cargo Using small barges that can dock on the beach, with access limitations due to the tide and the presence of sandbanks increasing the costs of maritime transportation Storage Due to the level of insecurity, ﬁnding a secure warehouse on both sides of Montepuez River and in Mocimboa da Praia and Macomia is a challenge. Fuel Generally speaking, fuel is not available in the central zone because tank trucks cannot use normal land routes and supply the pumps located in Mocimboa da Praia in the north and Macomia and Quissanga in the center of the province. Overall, fuel is not widely available in the north of Cabo Delgado Province. Logistics services for humanitarian cargo To facilitate transport by air and sea, mechanisms must be found to facilitate and simplify loading and unloading procedures at the airport and port of Pemba and Mocimboa da Praia. (28) (28) ("logcluster.org", gaps and needs", 2020)

19 Deﬁning humanitarian innovation

OCHA defines a humanitarian innovation as: “a means of adaptation and improvement through finding and scaling solutions to problems, in the form of products, processes or wider business models… [these] can be applied to nearly any specialized area, from logistics, to medicine, to media, and may include technology but is not reducible to it3.” In addition to this, a humanitarian innovation doesn’t need to be a completely new invention. It could simply be an existing product, process, model, or technology that is adapted to a new context. (29) (29) ("futurelearn.com", Defining humanitarian innovation)

Key insight: a humanitarian innovation doesn’t need to be a completely new invention. It could simply be an existing product, process, model, or technology that is adapted to a new context

Product Innovations

(30)

Most product innovations begin outside the humanitarian environment, typically led by commercial enterprises. The consumer market is made up of humanitarian organizations purchasing items for a variety of contexts, often on behalf of crisis-affected people. Individuals, small companies or larger product suppliers define the problem and opportunity for new products and invest in their R&D before pitching them to humanitarian agencies. There is often only a limited commercial market for such products, largely for camping, hiking or for military use. Even sales to humanitarian agencies are often limited due to the lack of consultation with humanitarian actors during the design process, which therefore limits the fit or robustness of the final products. In addition, emergency equipment is often only required in the first phase of a response, while in the long-term local products and more sustainable solutions are preferred. (30) ("higuide.elrha.org", understand innovation)

Analysis

I learned something. How do I interpret it? Tell Stories Search for Meaning Frame Opportunities

Design

Ideate

Analysis

Discover

Fig. 22, Two men are unloading the 50KG sack, which is the common form of how rice, corn and wheat are transported.

20 Desk research & observation Design Thinking

Desk research refers to searching for, collecting, and assessing information that has already been produced by others, or what we would call ‘secondary data’. This can be done remotely by collecting and reviewing hard copies of reports, strategies and other printed reference materials. Carrying out desk research can yield valuable information from NGO (Nongovernmental organization) reports, peer-reviewed studies, case studies, policy papers, technical papers, operational strategies, programmatic evaluations, long-form news media, and even statistical indices, opensource databases, maps, and documentary ﬁlms. During non-participant observations, it is important to observe not only what people are doing (for example, by interpreting their body language and gestures), but also what people are not doing (perhaps ignoring instructions or refraining from asking for help or assistance).

21 Affinity Diagram Design Thinking

After a long research, there were a huge outcome of texts and pictures that should somehow be filtered and refined into usable statements. Affinity diagrams are a great method to help make sense of all the information when having a lot of mixed data, such as facts, ethnographic research, ideas from brainstorms, user opinions, user needs, insights, and design issues. Affinity diagrams or clustering exercises are all about bundling and grouping information, and this method can be one of the most valuable methods to employ. For this reason, it was used here to figure out the main themes & topics in form of titles and subtitles and to be able to group the problems seen in the pictures.

21 Affinity Diagram Design Thinking

Port

Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig.

» local warehouse ( Long distance > 10km )

23, by tractor trailer truck 24, by motorcycles 25, single unit truck in rough terrain 26, aviation ( air drop )

Transport last mile ( short distance < 5km ) Fig. 27, single wheel backpack used to carry injured person easily Fig. 28, a hand cart used to carry heavy stock easily Fig. 29, A 3-wheel cart for transporting several boxes Fig. 30, Motor-supported hand tool for easy pulling of large containers

Goods transportation ( short distance < 100m )

Fig. 31, ropeway ﬁxed to trees Fig. 32, Belt path concept to transport heavy humanitarian supplv lies easily Fig. 33, Aerial route ﬁxed with 2 points to the ground

Sorting supplies

Fig. 34, unsorted supplies in large plastic bags. Fig. 35, a stack of rice/wheat reliefs Fig. 36, reliefs ready for distribution

Unloading supplies into the warehouse

Fig. 37, carrying supplies on head Fig. 38, carrying supplies on shoulders

Reliefs distribution to the needy people

Fig. 39, Needy people hurry around air dropped reliefs Fig. 40, People rushing around a truck full of supplies Fig. 41, Needy people waiting in a long line for their food portion

Carrying reliefs homes / camp / tents

Fig. 42, a woman using cart to transport reliefs to her home. Fig. 43, needy people carrying supplies on their heads Fig. 44, volunteers are helping an old woman to carry her supplies.

Displacement

Fig. 45, people carry their to a safe place ( camp catastrophe Fig. 46, displaced people to carry their old mother belongings

belongings ) after the using cart and heavy

22 What? How? Why? Design Thinking

What? | How? | Why? is a tool that can help drive to deeper levels of observation. This simple scaffolding allows to move from concrete observations of a particular situation to the more abstract emotions and motives that are at play in that situation. This is a particularly powerful technique to leverage when analyzing photos that have been collected.

Transport last mile ( short distance < 5km ) What

A tool for rough terrain to transport goods

How

multi-wheels many packages

one wheel small backpack

Motor supported hand cart

Why

- transport heavy and many goods

- transport heavy goods faster, effective

- transport too heavy and huge

faster and effective.

and on very rough terrain

supplies at once

-not very rough terrain

- avoid any injuries because of heavy

- too expensive tool but

weights

available money

- not many packages on rough terrain

Sorting supplies What

Sort supplies before distributing them to the needers

How

in the warehouse

on the ground

In the vehical

Why

- on top of each other

- The place is safe

- people not predictable as they are in a

as there are no shelves

- to avoid any rush

mental situation that couldn't be controlled

- for easier distribution

- supplies must be sorted

- for later faster distribution

- avoid any damage

- to avoid any rush

Unloading supplies into the warehouse

What

Discharge the load to the warehouse

How

Human chain

Using cranes

on workers' shoulders

hand cart

Why

- no carts available

- crane is available

- tools not available

- hand cart available

- faster

- only way

- tools are expensive

- hard to carry supplies

- enough people there

- too heavy supplies

- many workers available

- cheap

- hard obstacles

Carrying reliefs homes / camp / tents What

Transporting supplies to homes/camps/tents

How

on head/shoulder

hand cart

Workers are helping people

Why

- no tool is available

- a tool is available

- enough workers to help

- tools are expensive

- tool suits rough terrain

- Supplies are too heavy

- supplies not too heavy

- affordable

- disabled people

22 What? How? Why? Design Thinking

Port

» local warehouse ( Long distance > 10km )

What

Organisations transporting humanitarian supplies

How

Using Airplanes

Why

- high speed - medical products

Using Pickups ( like Sherp )

Using motorcycles

Using Boats

Using cranes

- medium cost

- low cost

- hard obstacle

- high ﬂexibility

- less obstacles

- the only way

- no alternative option

- many & heavy supplies

- faster in some terrain

- cheaper

- high reliability

- infrastructure destroyed

for rough roads

Goods transportation ( short distance < 100m )

What

Mobile Transport system for short distances

How

Rope system

Belt system

Why

-transport heavy goods faster,

- to transport heavy goods faster,

effective and on rough terrain

- cheaper, effective, longer

- more stable than ropeway but much

distances, relatively light weights

heavier and costly

- terrain is rough for hand carts

- many supplies to be transported

- only alternative

Reliefs distribution to the needy people What

People in need waiting to get reliefs

How

waiting in line

Why

- Distributing is slow

- faster and no cheating

- enough workers to

- no enough workers

- technology and money are

force people respect

- no tool to help organize

available

gathering/rushing around

a face recognition system

the gateway/port/vehicle

the order

Displacement

What

Displaced people carrying their heavy properties after the disaster going to camps

How

using their own cars

on shoulder/head

hand cart

Why

- car is available

- no tool available

- hand cart available

- fuel is available

- too expensive

- hard to carry supplies

- tools not suitable for terrain

- suits rough terrain

- not too heavy

23 Evaluation Design Thinking

In order to evaluate all the groups with the different topics that I had so far, I used the octagonal form shown below. These themes represent where I could invest the skills of industrial design to help solve a challenge in the ﬁeld of post-destruction. The system is a visualization for the simple ranking from 1 to 5. The eight criteria were chosen according to my opinion, the most important points in this project.

Transport last mile ( short distance < 5km ) Multifunctionality

Design aspects Problem ( need, importance, effect )

Suits my skills

Potential

Meets my passion

Testability Innovation / Unique / USP

Sorting supplies Multifunctionality

Design aspects Problem ( need, importance, effect )

Suits my skills Potential

Meets my passion

Testability Innovation / Unique / USP

Unloading supplies into the warehouse Multifunctionality

Design aspects Problem ( need, importance, effect )

Suits my skills

Potential

Meets my passion

Testability Innovation / Unique / USP

Carrying reliefs homes / camp / tents Multifunctionality

Design aspects Problem ( need, importance, effect )

Suits my skills Potential

Meets my passion

Testability Innovation / Unique / USP

23 Evaluation Design Thinking

Port

» local warehouse ( Long distance > 10km ) Multifunctionality

Design aspects Problem ( need, importance, effect )

Suits my skills

Potential

Meets my passion

Testability Innovation / Unique / USP

Goods transportation ( short distance < 100m ) Multifunctionality

Design aspects Problem ( need, importance, effect )

Suits my skills Potential

Meets my passion

Testability Innovation / Unique / USP

Reliefs distribution to the needy people Multifunctionality

Design aspects Problem ( need, importance, effect )

Suits my skills

Potential

Meets my passion

Testability Innovation / Unique / USP

Displacement Multifunctionality

Design aspects Problem ( need, importance, effect )

Suits my skills Potential

Meets my passion

Testability Innovation / Unique / USP

24 How might we?

Design Thinking

“How might we” (HMW) questions are short questions that launch brainstorms. HMWs are seeds for ideation that fall out of the point-ofview statement, design principles, or insights. Create a seed that is broad enough that there are a wide range of solutions but narrow enough that the team is provoked to think of speciﬁc, unique ideas. After the evaluation phase I'm not considering all ﬁelds, but only the ones that scored better.

Transport last mile ( short distance < 5km ) •

give the reliefs a new shape to be easily transported to homes.

•

Get the Reliefs to the people with no effort from their side?

•

make it joyful for young people help carrying reliefs to homes

•

How might we make the process of getting reliefs to homes a time to break boundaries between needy people. to refresh their minds.

•

Make it possible for neighbor families carry reliefs together and have conversations on the way. ( share the load )

•

Make one person able to carry reliefs for many families to reduce the effort and divide the work

•

Change the way reliefs being distributed so it doesn't consume much effort from all sides

The problem is reliefs are heavy and hard to carry

•

What if people don't have to come and get their reliefs but being sent to them at home

•

What if people could be self-sufficient

•

What if reliefs aren't heavy

•

what if people like to go out get their reliefs

•

What if reliefs are very easy to transport

The problem is there is no suitable and affordable to tool to help needy people carry their reliefs to home

The problem is reliefs are being distributed far away from the needy people's homes

Port

» local warehouse ( Long distance > 10km )

•

make the cheapest transport variant always be possible

•

use other energy sources than fuel

•

use the rough terrain as an advantage ( what could be useful there ) ( wind, water river, sun, slope )

•

make it possible to change easily between transport methods for more ﬂexibility

•

transport multiple cargoes effectively

•

avoid the reverse logistics and make it just one way

•

make air transport not expensive

•

quickly build an infrastructure for better transportation

•

make it possible handle all obstacles

•

make fuel always available / decrease fuel consumption

•

make the reliefs ﬂexible to be bought on the way / not heavy the whole way

•

convert obstacles to advantages

•

make air transport ﬂexible / just short very hard obstacles

•

make the trailers self-driving not just pulled

•

make the transport always ﬂexible

•

make supplies not so heavy? transport only the (seeds) that will be used there for trees

•

make sure the way has no obstacles? a vehicle to drive ﬁrst and clear obstacles

•

What if air transport isn't expensive.

•

what if all roads are well

•

what if vehicles have no problems drive through rough terrain.

•

what if there is always a transport method to overcome all problems

The problem is that air transport is too expensive and affect the environment

The problem is roads are rough in many places. Sometime also rivers which is the only way available.

The problem is that road transport can't handle all obstacles. And fuel isn't always available

The problem is that the cheapest way isn't always available

The problem is that supplies are heavy. To be efficient many should be transported at once

The problem is that some transport methods aren't ﬂexible

25 First Brieﬁng Design Thinking

Problem The problem is that volunteers working in humanitarian organizations face challenges delivering reliefs effectively & cost efficient Place & time in disaster areas to help people in need survive the hard situation A problem for People in need who are not being well served due to hard logistics Symptoms of the problem • •

People in need suffering to get their relief supplies home after poor distribution and hard last mile experience Volunteers who have to spend a massive effort due to heavy workload and lack of available resources

Causes of the problem Post-disaster infrastructure is destroyed, making delivery harder and reduces available options ( aviation, shipping, Road transport ). therefore, the ideal scenario isn't achieved, goods will arrive as scheduled, at the right price, in maximized loads with no breakages or pilferage. Contributing factors to the problem • • • • • • • •

road transport can't handle all obstacles. And fuel isn't always available air transport is too expensive and affect the environment some transport methods aren't ﬂexible supplies are heavy. To be efficient many should be transported at once safety isn't at the highest level. the cheapest way isn't always available reliefs are heavy and hard to be carried by needy people reliefs are being distributed far away from the needy people's homes

Humanitarian Parameters of the problem

(31) ("handbook.ul-standards.org", Transport Standards)

In the response phase of the humanitarian architecture, relief supplies transported by the WFP ( World food program ) hardly fulfill the transport standards: (31) 2.1: A transport strategy is clearly defined to best support relief operations. 2.2: Goods are delivered in the right time while optimizing costs and the use of resources. 2.3: Transport is supported by clear communication channels, visibility into cargo movement and handover, and access to relevant information 2.4: Transport minimizes financial and material losses and guarantee the preservation of transported goods. 2.5: Transportation complies with legal and regulatory requirements. 2.6: Transportation minimizes the harm on people and the environment. Why finding a solution to this problem is important for the humanitarian organizations and therefore for the user ( people in need )? The solution will minimize the funding gap by saving some delivery costs and facilitating the delivery of relief supplies, which will reduce the pain and suffering of many people in need and enhance the safety, dignity, and rights of people and expose them to no harm when receiving reliefs

Objective formula My objective is for the last mile in the reliefs delivery to reduce the unnecessary effort carried out by volunteers & people in need to deliver supplies to the homes effectively by facilitating the transloading of supplies between the different modes of transportation and make sure the cheapest option is always chose The right good • • • • • •

Delivered to the right recipient In the right quantities In the right condition At the right location In the right time For the right price

Product speciﬁcation • Coming in the practice phase Questions for further exploration • Coming in the practice phase Assumptions made • Coming in the practice phase Risks: • Coming in the practice phase

Ideate

I see an opportunity. What do I create? Generate Ideas Reﬁne Ideas

Fig. 47, In such a case, where the truck is loaded with individual packages and not with large units (intermodal), the transloading process will be impossible in situations like ( borders or defective trucks), moreover, the distribution is really ineffective

Design

Ideate

Analysis

Discover

26 Process analysis

The aim of the process analysis is to obtain an overview of all the main processes and sub-processes that are running. This allows superﬂuous, redundant, but also missing processes to be identiﬁed. This detailed knowledge of all input and output helps to uncover innovation potentials, as well as errors in the design of processes. The overall goal is to gain an understanding of the overall system and to design new products as efficiently as possible.

In the last mile, all traditional methods have their advantages and disadvantages, such as being too expensive or not possible at all. The concept here is to use all possible local solutions like animals or motorcycles, which was also the opinion of some experts during my research phase, as this has the advantage of being more ﬂexible and keeping the money cycle among the people in need.

27 Market research

For the market research it was necessary to explore all similar products in different ﬁelds and gather all nice to have features or speciﬁcations. Some nice tools have been used to generate related words like keywordtool.io/ & relatedwords.org

inﬂatable trailer Rough terrain hand cart foldable container rough terrain Amphibious trailer storing concepts trailer suspension wooden/ pallete pallet wheels

foldable kinderwagen

dolly

foldable hand cart

transloading

intermodal

rigid

boat trailer

Features

storing concepts allterrain

Pallet

container

Fields

pallet tyres

container

all terrain train

rough ground trailer pallet

Amphibiou ATV all-terrain vehicle

off road

trailer axles

tracked carrier

drayage

do it yourself build trailer

modular ﬂeet

Amphibious

motorcycle trailer

log Trailer

4x4 transport motorcycle foldable boat log trailer train mini car trailer foldable bicycle trailer

cart

foldable container

In order to get an overview and a reference for all the intended speciﬁcations such as dimensions, materials used or load capacity, it was helpful to compare these features with already existing products.

The city bike pallet trailer has the same concept of pallet transport ( but here it is an additional product to the pallet, which is different from my intended concept ). It has a high load capacity up to 600kg ( in normal use it should be 450kg ). The product was a good reference for the dimensions of the wheels and the capacity. Here you can also see that the wheels were designed for city streets and not for uneven dirt roads.

Fig. 48, A bicycle pallet trailer carries 600 kg in a maximum load test.

A cargo bike to transport two EU pallets at once. Here it is ﬁxed that the moving power is by a pedal and nothing elso like animals or motorbikes as my intended design. Also it was useful as a reference for the dimensions of the wheels and the capacity

Fig. 49, A cargo bike to carry two EU pallets

Timber off-road bike trailer has been a perfect reference for my design. After a long search for all possible wheel and suspension mechanisms, this tandem axle is the most suitable for my product. The product is almost the basic shape of my planned design, which has the ability to ride on rough dirt roads. What is missing here are the standard dimensions of the pallet, which are the core function of my design, and the ﬂoating function and some extra nice to have features for the intended purpose of transporting humanitarian aids. The product here with this mechanism and 4 wheels has a payload of up to 700 kg, which is perfect compared to the normal weight of the dynamic EU pallet.

Fig. 50, Timber off-road bike trailer

27 Market research

A universal trailer for the transport of pallets. The concept is based on the optimal use of a lever arm formed by the chassis around the wheel axle. In combination with a load attached to special lifting points, this technical solution allows the weight to be lifted up to eight times without effort. Here we see a normal-weight person towing this 200 kg pallet on an asphalt road without any problems. This is a good reference for my design.

Fig. 51, A normal-weight person towing this 200 kg pallet

The concept of a foldable waterproof material with internal support structure is very interesting and a nice feature to have in my product in situations of ﬂoods or destroyed bridges for short distances on calm water surface.

Fig. 52, A foldable easy to mount kayak, with ﬂexible waterproof thick material.

One of the problems faced by humanitarian logistics on the road is reaching border points or the urgent need to change the method of transport or simply the truck in the event of a sudden problem that it takes a very long time to unload the entire load if only parcels, or the impossibility to move pallets without forklift. In this case & with the accompaniment of the possibility of my design to move and be towed and be stackable. This hydraulic hand forklift will be used. The end result will make the transloading process as easy as it can be, which is the main focus of my design and what many experts have been looking for and stating in their feedback.

Fig. 54, Hydraulic Hand Stacker

A nice example that shows the possibility of driving several trailers with heavy loads on an uneven road with the same mechanism of the tandem axle. Fig. 53, Two trailers fully loaded are towed together on rough road.

Folding and stacking heavy pallets in warehouses or in shipping containers to save as much space as possible. In warehouses in affected countries, there is often no racking system and therefore all packages are spread on the floor, which is not the best solution as it takes a lot of space and a wet floor could damage all packages. Also in reverse logistics it is very important that the pallets all fit in as few trucks as possible. To integrate all this into one product is a strong enhancement.

Fig. 55, A steel stacking system Fig. 56, A Plastic stacking system Fig. 57, A steel frame for pallets to help stacking them in a container and save place

An amphibious trailer that folds into a boat. It was a very good reference product as it fulfills many functions from my must-have list. The load capacity of 760 liters and when floating 300 kg were really helpful values to imagine how to bring these functions to life within a new product in a totaly different field .

Fig. 58, Tetrapod, A trailer foldable boat

The concept of transporting a heavy load with the help of a trailer pulled by an animal, a person, a bicycle or a motorcycle has long been widely used in the world. But in emergencies such as ﬂoods or urgent displacement, such trailers are unfortunately hard to ﬁnd. If the trailer pallet ( my intended design ) now becomes a standard, I can imagine tens of secondary uses for it, not only in the emergency phase, but also afterward in the recovery phase, to support economic logistics for small businesses or families.

Fig. 59, A cargo bike in africa

28 First concept

The ﬁrst concept was inspired by the pneumatic mechanism of the Sherp, that the wheels are large and full of medium pressure air, and all 4 wheels are connected to the same air duct. The mechanism was responsible for giving the Sherp the ability to drive on rocks and uneven roads, as well as to ﬂoat. The mechanism also functioned as a suspension and ensured that the huge tires did not occupy much space in transport mode. All these features were really interesting and nice to have in my design. However, for feasibility reasons, and after the expert feedback the concept was discarded.

29 Field expert feedback

To answer some questions speciﬁcally for my concept, I created a onepage description of my concept and a page of initial skeches. I then sent the emails to people working in humanitarian logistics whom I found on Linkedin or on the websites of the organizations.

Paul Dettmer Supply Chain Officer UN World Food Programme

What do you like about the concept?

Tell me about the last time you had a challenge delivering relief?

Last mile correctly assessed as one of the main problem areas, a multimodal approach generally makes sense

Mozambique, Idai Response 2019; The dynamics of the information situation in an emergency operation can be challenging for innovative solutions. Several scenarios have to be run before the ﬁrst deployment to convince the operational actors (supply chain/ logistics) of the added value of the new solution so that they consider it as a real option.

What don't you like about the concept?

Use case should be described/speciﬁed in more detail (which actors, which type of cargo, what kind of operations (emergency or protracted). Reference to volume is missing (what is the transport capacity?). Avoidance of 'reverse logistics' should be explained in more detail (is it intended as a one-way hanger?).

What should get special focus in the development process?

Who is your target group? What is your use case? Which current solution will be replaced by the concept? What is the additional monetary value (cost/tonne is an important indicator) -> the trailer must save more than it costs to purchase and maintain.

Are there similar products on the market?

local constructions (normal tires), otherwise! SHERP trailer (in combination with SHERP UTV)

What other speciﬁcations would you like to see

Real scenario/helpful situations in which the tool would have provided the desired added value.

What might not work/go wrong with the concept?

Number of trailers needed in large operations too high; moreover, on rivers: no protection from water, behind the donkey: too wide for mountain passes! behind the LandCruiser: too little ground clearance, behind the truck capacity (1 ton?) low added value (+10%), behind the motorcycle: too wide/too heavy

What local resources are available to produce the product locally?

Depends on design & region of application (what is local? Centers like Nairobi/Kampala/Juba or 'deep ﬁeld locations' like Bukavu/Tshikapa/Ganyiel?)

What price range should the product not exceed? why?

More important than the price is probably the whole business model - should the product be bought? or offered as a rental/service? if the product reduces my costs from 10$/ton to 2$/ton for the last mile, but I can only use it once or have to/should sell it at the destination, there is not much left to justify the additional expenses for the carrier. But if it enables entirely new corridors, reducing the cost from $1000 to $10, that's different.

30 Research-based Design Design Thinking

Design is creating new products with a function to solve a problem. Therefore it's very important that each decision or intended feature is based on a need that was proofed by a deep research. Seen below is a connection between the key insights ( which is referenced to the theoretical part of my research ) and the needs derived from it and at the end the speciﬁcations must & nice to have in the designed product.

Must Have Move on rough road mud / climb high rocks / override ground holes Float Amphibious ( water ) cross rivers Pallet ( standard ) pulled by - people (human power or supported motor) - Animals (donkey, camel, horses) - Motorcycle/Quad bike - Cars - Boats - Bicycle Transloading is easy from the truck with no need for fork or crane by one worker! to barges with sandbanks Safe Reverse logistics Sold to the native people with reduced price to be used in the recovery phase

Nice to have stackable when stored or reverse logistics Locally assembeld or built (local materials ) bamboo trailer Different cargos categories ( cool products ) Motor powered, must not always be pulled, maybe a version that has motor and is pushed and when needed it pulls the others Tyre doesn't take place or weigh inﬂatable / foldable Intermodal refers to the use of shipping containers that can be loaded between different vessels and vehicles as a single unit without having to offload cargo

Key Insights

Page referenced

Infrastructure often has been destroyed, & lack of initial resources

Only 20% of roads are paved and 80% are dirt roads.

Airdrops are resorted to when inaccessible roads, insecurity...

Even though new technologies have enhanced the speed at which cargo can be transported

If the loading point does not have a drive up loading bay, porters should be able to safely step up and down from the vehicle bed without jumping or climbing.

People displaced

Vaccines are locally being transported by smaller means of transport

as these are too expensive and not available everywhere

The problem is reliefs are being distributed far away from the needy people's homes

Last mile till the door of the people in need

fuel isn't always available

Multiy-modal solutions may provide most effective and

Transporting vaccine in the last mile might not be as easy as we imagine in cities!.

Barge movement is likely the cheapest mode of cargo inland into a country,

moving

Human chain transporting supplies from the truck to the warehouse.

Up to 80% of a relief operation consists of logistical tasks.

Barges needs a marine ( not sandbanks along beaches )

facilitate transport by air and sea, mechanisms must be found to facilitate transloading

Safe against stealing

Road transport is by far the most used method of transporting cargos globally

Optimise reverse logistics: avoid returns, ensure the

Incoming cardboard packaging are almost destroyed because of the frequent transloading

Sometimes using traditional ways like boats and animals is much cost effective

In-transit Theft – The main sources of vehicle theft are from depots

The process of loading and offloading trucks can be very dangerous

Types of Reverse Logistics

Efficient logistical systems support the development of an economy for the recovery phase

Airports that are overcrowded with large quantities of relief supplies

Often airport or ocean port locations in remote countries lack access to cool room facilities.

The world today spends 25 billion US$ to provide life-saving assistance to 125 million people

A humanitarian innovation doesn't need to be a completely new invention,

Needs to be fulﬁlled Not to fall down easily. Or easily to settle back Rough Roads and ﬂooded roads

Fit inside the cargo or the pickup and take no much place Carry heavy goods, but is cheaper than Sherp like vehicles

efficient transport option ( easy transolading between different methods of transportation ) - Border crossing points - hard obstacles that needs to change the transport method - cheaper option for not urgent deliveries

possiblity of reuse ( another use ) and recycling of materials and packaging, sold to the local people for the recovery

Easily stackable pallets for storying even with load Cheap to produce Different cargos' categories ( cool products ) Environmental friendly product

31 Function Analysis Design Thinking

The goal of functional analysis is to develop alternative solutions to an existing problem. Structuring the task in functional analysis serves to break down the overall problem into manageable subproblems that can be distinguished from one another. This is the most important step in mastering even complex problems. The deﬁned subproblems can then be processed according to their importance and logical dependence. It's also useful to compare the functiones intended with similar existing products.

Fig. 60, A technical drawing from already existing ATV trailer was used to understand the main functions and mechanisms.

On the other hand a mind map of all intended functions was created after comparision with tens of similar products on the market & with consideration of the MUST HAVE functions list created from the previous design thinking method.

31 Function Analysis Design Thinking

Some Design thinking tools used for the functional analysis Working with checklist could easier the process of generating new ideas systematically. The list below contains the aspects:

Function Mechanism Construction Safety Ergonomics

- Manufacture - Control - Assembly - Transport - Use

Fig. 61, Checklist for various aspects for systematic problem solving

Repair Recycling Costs Deadlines

Fig. 62, The 40 TRIZ inventive principles

The 40 Principles are generic suggestions for performing an action to, and within, a technical system. Altshuller discovered these Principles during his investigation and synthesis of thousands of patents. These were some of the keys of how inventive people solved inventive problems independent of industry or science. By using these Principles individually and in combination, you have hundreds of combinations for solving technical contradictions and other problems.

32 Morphological matrix Design Thinking

The primary goal of the Morphological Matrix is to obtain a comprehensive overview of the problem and to gain a corresponding insight. Thus, the method is also suitable for challenges with high complexity. It's a powerful tool for generating ideas, based on potential variations in a problem’s characteristics, by brainstorming all possible sollutions for each individual sub-function.

32 Morphological matrix Design Thinking

Some Design thinking tools used for systematically generating concepts and variants

For the generation of variants systematically, two methods were used. On the left side are nine cards with different invention principles to innovatively adapt an existing product and create a new one that has an additional function and is designed to solve a new problem.

COMPONENT STRUCTURE The aim of creating a component structure is to develop a construction concept that covers as many functions as possible while containing as few contradictions and as few central components as possible (integrative construction, constructive intelligence). The component structure should represent a guideline that serves as a foundation for the organization for manufacturing a product, by summarizing there all the essential structures for the design, etc.

Fig. 63, systematic shaping for industrial products VDI, Düsseldorf 1978

Design

I have an idea. How do I build it? Make Prototypes Move Forward

Fig. 64, Volunteers sometimes must carry heavy supplies to the door of those in need when distribution in bad weather is not possible. Trailers for a rough road or mud are hard to ﬁnd. Such trailers are really essential in such areas and will be widely used in tens of scenarios. Shipping supplies on these trailers instead of wooden pallets would make a huge difference.

Design

Ideate

Analysis

Discover

33 Prototyping sketches

After collecting all the possible sub-functions and solutions in the morphological matrix, a quick sketch of some reasonable solutions was made in parallel with the 3D prototyping. Some concepts of loading and unloading with the help of an additional device or without, or whether the design is an alternative for the pallet or an add-on to give the traditional wooden pallets the ability to be towed and ﬂoat. Some variants of the folding mechanism of the frame and tires. Or the stackable form, whether by using an external lifting device or an integrated lifting mechanism.

34 Prototyping & Simulation

During the prototyping phase it was useful to use a fast modeling tool for quick modeling & changes like C4D. After market research and some sketches and comparisons with existing standards, an overview of how the new product will look like was created. At the beginning, the design was derived by a few standards to be met, as these were among the "must have" features. EU pallet size of 1000*1200mm, the container size that should be ﬁlled effectively, and the forklift dimensions. The mechanism of the tandem axle trailer was inspired by Timper trailers, which were designed for the same purpose, namely to have the ability to be towed on very rough roads inside a forest.

Sometimes working only in front of a screen has the disadvantage that the sense of real dimensions is lost. A standard 50 kg rice bag was used to ensure that all proportions and dimensions were well chosen.

Foldability and stackability was one of the intended features my design should have. This will help reduce the volume occupied during loading and for the reverse logistics or in the warehouse. The folding mechanism was modiﬁed several times to achieve the ﬁnal satisfying result.

Also, to make sure my new design could be towed by a quad and a medium sized ﬁshing boat from the dimesnions perspective, it was useful to import real sized 3D objects into the seen to compare from time to time and also for the ﬂow of new ideas.

34 Prototyping & Simulation

From time to time, the frame, the mechanism and the pallet were optimized, focusing on some additional properties, namely ﬂoatability and stability in the stacking position. A tool in C4d was used to calculate the total area of displaced water, as this value is in charge of the ability to ﬂoat.

600kg

After making sure all the must have features were implemented into the design, some time was spent on "nice to have" features, such as an integrated handle on the four sides of the frame to allow multiple people to push the trailer in situations where it gets stuck. Aesthetics were also considered in the design of the frame, with both ﬂotation and aerodynamics in mind.

500kg

550kg

For the purpose of making the cover waterproof in a rainy weather and to ensure the ﬂoatability, a special elastic material was chosen to be leakproof along the line of connection with the pallet base. In addition, some towing concepts were tested with a single and double tow bar. At the end of the prototyping phase, some improvements were made to the shape of the tire tread, as well as the pallet base and the mechanism of the frame to be adjustable in hight. The color combination was sorted with the function of recognizing the moving parts. Making the design as simple as possible and keeping in mind the reduction of the production cost was the main focus in the ﬁnal stage.

35 Final product Pullit The alternative pulled pallet in the last mile for the aid delivery

Summary Road transport is by far the most commonly used method for transporting relief supplies in the humanitarian sector. - Air transport is costly and only for emergencies - Special ATV vehicles such as Sherp are expensive and not as widely used as needed Using local options for the last mile such as pickups, motorcycles, bicycles, animals, or even human power should be the most effective and efficient solution if the Transloading between available transport methods is smooth. Since the infrastructure is destroyed, decisions are difficult to make due to route uncertainty. A special pallet to overcome various bad scenarios will be a strong addition.

Product speciﬁcation Move on rough road or mud Amphibious to cross rivers towed by a boat Standard Pallet (ﬁt a forklift) and is Easily stacked in warehouses Towed by pickups, motorcycles, bicycles, animals or even human power Easily unloaded from a truck without fork or crane by a single worker! Safe against theft low cost production Avoids the reverse Logistics ( reuse or sold to the locals for small business in the recovery phase )

Concept An all-terrain pallet trailer for the Last mile. The pallet will facilitate the transfer of cargo between different methods of transport to choose the most effective and efficient method despite the uncertainty of the nature of the route, as the new pallet can be used as a trailer in all terrains, as well as towed by a boat on a calm waterway or by animals on a rocky path. It will help to spend less trasnsoprt costs to the locals ( people in need ) instead of paying big amounts of money to transportation companies.

Fig. 65, Unloading rice sacks in the port in a truck using a huge crane

To load trucks with rice sacks or single packages could be cost efficient, but the cargo can only be transported with large cranes, otherwise it is an unbearable effort for the workers to unload them. In cases such as muddy terrain or on the move truck failure, unloading or transloading to another transportation option will be impossible.

A standard pallet that can be handled by a forklift truck with the standard dimensions of an EU pallet ( 1000 x 1200 mm ), which also facilitates the work in warehouses with the same equipment, stacking systems or conveyor belts.

Stackability for efficient space allocation within containers or warehouses, or even easy storage in the case that the pallet has been sold to the local community for a second use. The system also offers cost-effective reverse logistics

Foldable corners with adjustable height for the efficient use of space in containers or warehouses. All moving parts are colored with red.

Fig. 66, A human chain to transport cardboard boxes to overcome an area of accumulated water and prevent damage to supplies

Because of the uncertainty about the way, especially in the ﬁrst days of the disaster. It often happens that the truck ﬂeet can not keep moving when it encounters a hard obstacle, such as falling bridges or accumulated water as a result of heavy rains. With the help of Pullit and its waterproof frame, the pallet should be towed in such areas while making sure that the cargo is safe from any damage.

In case of ﬂoods, the biggest problem for locals after losing their houses is how to protect their valuable property from water. Unfortunately, there is no appropriate tool for such a scenario, which means much more loss and pain for these people. The safety of children in such an area is also a difficult task for parents. Having plenty of stored Pullit could be a lifesaver for local residents and their properties, and for the supplies in the warehouse itself.

Fig. 67, A mother carrying her 2 children and the rest of her belongings in a ﬂooded area in a pieces of cloth.

Foldable waterproof elastic frame made from a thick elastic PVC impermeably bonded to the base which allows the trailer to ﬂoat on calm river or ﬂood waters

Up to 550kg floatable capacity, which means 11 bags of rice will float safely in floods and can be easily transported by just 2 people, instead of 11 people having to carry them with effort on their heads. Thanks to the intermodal system, huge single units can be easily transported to and from the warehouse. It also provides much easier transloading between the different transport methods

A change in the method of transportation often takes place when a cheaper option (in this case, the barge) is available and could save money or time or both. Unfortunately, transloading cargo that is not shipped in large units causes time and effort. Pullit should provide easy transloading, even on beaches where the cargo should be towed on sand and in contact with water.

Fig. 68, 12 Workers carrying heavy rice sack on heads from the warehouse inside a truck

The effort and money spent to carry those hundreds of 50 kg rice sacks on the heads of 12 workers every time this warehouse receives or ships supplies could be much more than buying a few Pullits to be used multiple times. 100

Fig. 21, Humanitarian workers carrying relief supplies on their heads to the ship waiting in the port of Loading.

101

Multimodal solutions, where supplies are shipped using different transport methods, can provide the most effective and efficient transport option, as the cheapest option is always used. This depends only on how easy it is to switch and whether the cargo ﬁts easily into the second transport method. Pullit easily ﬁts into standard containers with stackable and adjustable height for efficient space allocation in full load mode, while allowing easy transloading at border checkpoints or in the event of a truck breakdown.

102

A heavy truck is stuck in the mud because of the bad weather. Pullit should provide the possibility to temporarily reduce the load in the truck and overcome such muddy areas by towing the single units. In the case of wooden pallets or individual packages, a temporary unloading will be impossible. For the last mile, Pullit could instead be pulled by animals or any available local option such as motorcycles. Fig. 69, A heavy truck is stuck in the mud because of the bad weather.

103

Fig. 70, Supplies arrived the camp and is ready for the distribution.

The use of large, single units such as pallets should protect supplies from damage caused by things like unpredictable rain and make the process of loading and unloading simpler. In addition, the distribution in the camps will be much easier and more organized.

104

To complete each other ( Pullit and the wooden pallet ) to be stackable inside a container in case of uncertainty about the road and to load only urgent supplies into the Pullit, to provide some additional possibilities of towing the Pullit. Furthermore with the help of a handlift to be available on the way, at least one for the ﬂeet. The system should replace the forklift when it is not available

105

Up to 35° incline with 850KG while the load is held safely horizontally. With the balanced tandem axle, the load is easily towed on uneven terrain. A foldable waterproof cover on the top for rainy weather. The base is a combination of a steel structure that reinforces a covering made of recycled plastic, for better balanced weight and durability realtion.

106

Fig. 71, 2 volunteers had to help an elderly woman carry her supplies to her tent.

2 volunteers had to help an elderly woman carry her supplies to her tent. Pullit will facilitate this process and help avoid any rush in the distribution.

107

Fig. 72, Sometimes it happens that people start attacking the volunteers for unfair or wrong distribution of the resources

Pullit will not only help in transporting relief goods, but also for a more organized distribution, as workers will be able to tow the Pullit and deliver the relief goods to the doors of the people in need, following a safer and fairer system, especially for the elderly who cannot reach such distribution points. 108

What is the purpose of spending a lot of money on buying relief supplies and sending them over a long logistical route to the camp, but the distribution process is not fair or organized! One of the reasons is the way the cargo is prepared inside the trucks, as it is really difficult to sort the different types of supplies in front of the eyes of hungry people. Another point is to set up smaller distribution points or deliver the relief supplies to the doorsteps only to the registered and controlled people. This will only be possible if there is a tool to carry these heavy relief goods and walk through narrow streets. The Pullit?!

Fig. 73, People gather around a truck to get their supplies without following rules or lines.

109

“ Transporting objects on a destroyed infrastructure is a painful necessity. ”

https://youtu.be/kAltKYzlx00 110

With a collapsible tow bar, Pullit is pulled by a person, animal, motorcycle or even a small boat on a calm water surface or during ﬂooding. Pullit meets many needs in disaster-affected areas. Dozens of secondary uses will arise on the basis of this tool. Delivering aids in it and reusing it or selling it to the locals will really help to reduce the pain during the emergency and recovery period.

111

112

113

List of ﬁgures All images were available to the time of 08.05.2021

Fig. 01, Heavy 50kg sack rice should be

https://greydynamics.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ll.jpg

Fig. 02, Hand carts are used to transport water.

https://www.newsyemen.net/admin/images

Fig. 03, A truck full with humanitarian reliefs.

https://images.theconversation.com/ﬁles/106845/original/image-20151221-27875-

Fig. 04, Human chain transporting sup-

Video Screenshot from https://www.wfp.org/videos

Fig. 05, Incoming cardboard packaging

WFP Supply chain annual report 2018 in Review, p. 15

Fig. 06, Some disaster victims ﬂee the

https://www.istitutoeuroarabo.it/DM/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/5.jpg

Fig. 07, Hazards and disasters: classiﬁ-

https://apps.who.int/disasters/repo/7656.pdf

Fig. 08, ("Humanitarian architecture")

https://higuide.elrha.org/humanitarian-parameters/humanitarian-architecture/

Fig. 09, The humanitarian reliefs chain

https://dlca.logcluster.org/display/LOG/

uploads/45933b7b5010a5d8b7791e171c7b4a0e.jpg 10nlnge.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=926&ﬁt=clip

Warehousing+and+Physical+Stock+Management Fig. 10, The humanitarian reliefs chain

https://dlca.logcluster.org/display/LOG/ Transport+Overview?preview=/9405300/44204331/Incoterms%203.png

114

Fig. 11, Transporting vaccine in cool boxes carried on the back. Walking on feet

https://www.unicef.org/supply/sites/unicef.org.supply/ﬁles/styles/hero_desktop/

Fig. 12, Overloaded vehicles transport-

https://publications.wfp.org/2018/annual-report-supply-chain/images/surface.jpg

Fig. 13, DHL vehicle delivering commer-

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DHL-Fahrzeug.jpg

Fig. 14, The Sherp ( an all-terrain vehi-

Screenshot from https://youtu.be/luU6M4TZn7g

Fig. 15, Types of vehicles for road trans-

https://dlca.logcluster.org/display/LOG/Road+Transport

Fig. 16, Even when airdrops is costly, sometimes it's the only way to trans-

https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000105617/download/?

Fig. 17, Airdrops is the only way to cutoff areas.

https://i1.wp.com/dayakdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/

public/Nepal-UNI199142-banner.jpg?itok=oJz-vzzt

_ga=2.260981901.1624419879.1605278037-903760503.1604149980 Metalun001-e1517817757652.jpg?ﬁt=800%2C450&ssl=1

Fig. 18, Using boats as a cheaper alternative for the costly airdrops

https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000105617/download/?_

Fig. 19, Transporting vaccine in the last mile might not be as easy as we imag-

https://www.unicef.org/supply/sites/unicef.org.supply/ﬁles/styles/media_banner/

Fig. 20, Empty pallets and containers

https://petropallet.com/wdpr/wp-content/uploads/pallet-trailers.jpg

Fig. 21, Humanitarian workers carrying relief supplies on their heads to the

https://logcluster.org/document/mozambique-logistics-sector-gaps-and-needs-

Fig. 22, Two men are unloading the

WFP Supply chain annual report 2019 in Review

Fig. 23, by tractor trailer truck

Video Screenshot from https://www.wfp.org/videos

Fig. 24, by motorcycles

Video Screenshot from https://www.wfp.org/videos

Fig. 25, single unit truck in rough terrain

https://logcluster.org/

Fig. 26, aviation ( air drop )

Video Screenshot from https://www.wfp.org/videos

Fig. 27, single wheel backpack used to carry injured person easily

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/themule/the-mule-go-anywhere-with-

Fig. 28, a hand cart used to carry heavy

https://www.pinterest.de/pin/699324648385512687/

Fig. 29, A 3-wheel cart for transporting

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/cb/4f/e5/cb4fe5bdbe61324b1cc52a854b91874e.jpg

Fig. 30, Motor-supported hand tool for

not speciﬁed

Fig. 31, ropeway ﬁxed to trees

not speciﬁed

Fig. 32, Belt path concept to transport

https://ifworlddesignguide.com/entry/276285-fast-delivery

Fig. 33, Aerial route ﬁxed with 2 points

not speciﬁed

Fig. 34, unsorted supplies in large plas-

Screenshots from https://www.ruptly.tv/en

Fig. 35, a stack of rice/wheat reliefs

https://logcluster.org/

Fig. 36, reliefs ready for distribution

Screenshots from https://www.wfp.org/videos

ga=2.260981901.1624419879.1605278037-903760503.1604149980 public/UN0328787-banner.jpg?itok=LYME04rW

analysis-exercise-february-2020

anything?ref=discovery&term=mule

115

List of ﬁgures

Fig. 37, carrying supplies on head

https://logcluster.org/

Fig. 38, carrying supplies on shoulders

Screenshots from https://www.wfp.org/videos

Fig. 39, Needy people hurry around air dropped reliefs

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/

Fig. 40, People rushing around a truck

Screenshots from https://www.wfp.org/videos

Fig. 41, Needy people waiting in a long

Screenshots from https://www.wfp.org/videos

Fig. 42, a woman using cart to transport

Screenshots from https://www.wfp.org/videos

Fig. 43, needy people carrying supplies on their heads

https://global.unitednations.entermediadb.net/assets/mediadb/services/module/

Fig. 44, volunteers are helping an old

Screenshots from https://www.wfp.org/videos

Fig. 45, people carry their belongings

http://tracks.unhcr.org/2015/07/four-million-syrians-ﬂee-war-and-persecution/

Fig. 46, displaced people using cart to carry their old mother and heavy

https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/thousands-flee-in-first-mass-exodus-

Fig. 47, In such a case, where the truck is loaded with individual packages and

https://theconversation.com/the-world-needs-a-more-innovative-approach-to-

Fig. 48, A bicycle pallet trailer carries 600 kg in a maximum load test.

https://www.hinterher.com/__we_thumbs__/2051_18_PalettiBohrkopf_01_980.

Fig. 49, A cargo bike to carry two EU

https://www.urbanarrow.com/de/tender

Fig. 50, Timber off-road bike trailer

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/75/ac/8d/75ac8d8a228ba669740e91ba844db7ea.jpg

Fig. 51, A normal-weight person towing

https://velogut.de/bicylift-euro-paletten-anhaenger/

Fig. 52, A foldable easy to mount kayak,

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/26/6d/81/266d81e16ccd6af85025e8008c14ba18.jpg

Fig. 53, Two trailers fully loaded are

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/2d/ab/5f/2dab5fae9901d5d0b9d3fef499a6e06c.jpg

Fig. 54, Hydraulic Hand Stacker

https://5.imimg.com/data5/VP/LB/EE/SELLER-9795035/10-500x500.jpg

Fig. 55, A steel stacking system

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Chairborne-Mytrack-Series-Powder-Coating-

mar/27/impact-communities-distribution-aid-typhoon-haiyan-philippines

asset/downloads/preset/assets/2015/07/22256/image1170x530cropped.jpg

fromvvidUSKCN1GR0VM humanitarian-relief-50614 jpg?m=1537549927

Top_60429914057.html

116

Fig. 56, A Plastic stacking system

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/HDPE-large-collapsible-plasticpallet-box_62204251452.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.normal_offer.d_ image.4b5795ccRUJQ9k&bypass=true

Fig. 57, A steel frame for pallets to help

not speciﬁed

Fig. 58, Tetrapod, A trailer foldable boat

https://www.werd.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/TetraPOD-Trailer.jpg

Fig. 59, A cargo bike in africa

https://www.yellowjersey.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/zamcart-product-image. jpg

Fig. 60, A technical drawing from

https://www.yutrax.com/Documents/Download/1085

Fig. 61, Checklist for various aspects for

https://app.designpilot.io/tool-70-detail-funktionsanalyse

Fig. 62, The 40 TRIZ inventive principles

https://www.quality-assurance-solutions.com/Triz-Inventive-Principles-1. htmlassurance-solutions.com/Triz-Inventive-Principles-1.html

Fig. 63, systematic shaping for industri-

https://app.designpilot.io/tool-107-bauteilstruktur

Fig. 64, Volunteers sometimes must

https://molhamteam.com/assets/img/molhamteam/4.jpg

Fig. 65, Unloading rice sacks in the port

Video Screenshot from https://www.wfp.org/videos

Fig. 66, A human chain to transport cardboard boxes to overcome an area of

https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/myanmar-militaer-besetzt-doerfer-der-

Fig. 67, A mother carrying her 2 children and the rest of her belongings in a

https://jrs.net/en/news/south-sudan-devastating-ﬂooding-displaced-thousands-of-

Fig. 68, 12 Workers carrying heavy rice

not speciﬁed

Fig. 69, A heavy truck is stuck in the

https://www.wfpusa.org/articles/circumventing-the-threat-of-rain-in-south-sudan/

Fig. 70, Supplies arrived the camp and is ready for the distribution.

https://www.wfpusa.org/news-release/un-agencies-deliver-food-to-eritrean-

Fig. 71, 2 volunteers had to help an

Video Screenshot from https://www.wfp.org/videos

Fig. 72, Sometimes it happens that

https://news.un.org/en/audio/2016/12/620942

Fig. 73, People gather around a truck to get their supplies without following

https://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/status/senior-management/under-secretary-general/

rohingya-15492128/september-2017-aus-burma-15492141.html people/

refugees-in-tigray/

partnerships/page/2/

117

List of literature All links has been checked on 08 May 2020 and were fully working with no information changes

(01) ("elrha.org" What is the

https://www.elrha.org/project/ﬁeldready-scale/

humanitarian need?) (02) ("higuide.elrha.org" Humanitarian

https://higuide.elrha.org/toolkits/get-started/understand-innovation/

innovation guide - innovation basics) (03) ("ideo.com", Ideo design thinking

https://www.ideo.com/post/design-thinking-for-educators

for educators) (04) ("Thefreedictionaty.com?")

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/catastrophe

(05) (Treptow, 2007, p. 9)

Treptow, Rainer (Hrsg.): Katastrophenhilfe und Humanitäre Hilfe. Ernst Reinhardt GmbH & Co KG, München, (2007)

(06) ("ifrc.org", what is a disaster)

https://www.ifrc.org/en/what-we-do/disaster-management/about-disasters/what-isa-disaster/

(07) (" higuide.elrha.org",

https://higuide.elrha.org/humanitarian-parameters/humanitarian-contexts/

Humanitarian innovation guide types of disasters) (08) (Kovács und Spens, 2007)

Kovács, Gyöngyi ; Spens, Karen M.: Humanitarian logistics in disaster relief operations. In: International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management 37 (2007), Nr. 2, p. 99–114

(09) ("training.fema.gov", Emergency

https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/downloads/is111_unit%204.pdf

Management in the United States) (10) (van Wassenhove, 2006, p.

van Wassenhove, Luk N.: Humanitarian aid logistics:

475–489)

Supply chain management in high gear. In: Journal of the Operational Research Society 57 (2006), P. 475–489

(11) (Hoffman, 2005, p. 269)

Hoffman, William: Last-mile Relief Logistics. In: Traffic World p. 269 (2005), Nr. 3, p. 11

(12) (Cassidy, 2003, p. 15-16)

Cassidy, William B.: A logistics lifeline. In: Traffic World 267 (2003), October, Nr. 43, p. 15–16

(13) (Besiou u.a.., 2010)

Besiou, Maria ; Stapleton, Orla ; Van Wassenhove, Luk N.: Exploring the Known and the Unknown: Future Possibilities of System Dynamics for Humanitarian Operations. INSEAD Working Paper No 2010/74/TOM/ISIC. (2010)

(14) ("aidforum.org", Supply Chain

http://www.aidforum.org/topics/humanitarian-logistics/

Planning: critical for last mile

supply-chain-planning-critical-for-last-mile-delivery/

delivery) (15) (Schwarz, 2012, p. 68)

Schwarz, Jennifer: Humanitäre Logistik für die Versorgungsproblematik in SubsaharaAfrika, p. 68, (2012)

118

(16) ("dlca.logcluster.org", logistics)

https://dlca.logcluster.org/display/LOG/Logistics

(17) (Kovacs and Spens, 2009, p. 510)

Kovacs, G., Spens, K.: Identifying challenges in humanitarian logistics, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Mangament, Vol. 39 No. 6, P. 505-528, (2009)

(18) ("dlca.logcluster.org", transport)

https://dlca.logcluster.org/display/LOG/Transport+Overview#TransportOverviewTheRoleofTransport

(19) ("dlca.logcluster.org",

https://dlca.logcluster.org/display/LOG/Road+Transport

Road+Transport) (20) ("CADUS.org - AERU - Airborne

https://www.cadus.org/en/projects/project/aeru-airborne-emergency-response-

Emergency Response Unit")

unit-453

(21) (WFP SUPPLY CHAIN ANNUAL

WFP supply chain annual report 2018, p.23

REPORT 2018, p.23) (22) (WFP Supply chain 2019 annual

WFP supply chain annual report 2019, p.31

report) (23) ("dlca.logcluster.org", other

https://dlca.logcluster.org/display/LOG/Other+Modes+of+Transport

modes of transport) (24) ("trid.trb.org", Last Mile

https://trid.trb.org/view/863905

Distribution in Humanitarian Relief) (25) ("wfp.org", WFP News Video for

https://www.wfp.org/videos/wfp-news-video-world-food-day-2019?_

World Food Day 2019)

ga=2.155722233.374656450.1604149980-903760503.1604149980

(26) ("logcluster.org", User

https://logcluster.org/document/service-request-form-srf-user-instructions

Instructions) (27) ("dlca.logcluster.org", Reverse

https://dlca.logcluster.org/display/LOG/Reverse+Logistics

Logistics) (28) ("logcluster.org", gaps and

https://logcluster.org/document/mozambique-logistics-sector-gaps-and-needs-

needs", 2020)

analysis-exercise-february-2020

(29) ("futurelearn.com", Deﬁning

https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/health-crises/0/steps/22924

humanitarian innovation) (30) ("higuide.elrha.org", understand

https://higuide.elrha.org/toolkits/get-started/understand-innovation/

innovation) (31) ("handbook.ul-standards.org",

https://handbook.ul-standards.org/en/humlog/#sec039

Transport Standards)

119

No, by using the local power!