Lightweight Concrete has been used in the US for 50 years, mainly to reduce weight in flooring. It is a simple process of combining concrete with lighter substances such as cinders, pumice, volcanic slag, clay instead of sand and gravel. Lightweight concrete may weigh from 35 to 115 pounds per cubic foot, depending on the type of lightweight aggregate used or the method of production.
As compared with the usual sand and gravel concrete it has certain advantages and disadvantages. Among the former are the savings in structural steel supports and decreased foundation sizes because of decreased loads, and better fire resistance and insulation against heat and sound. Its disadvantages include greater cost (30 to 50 percent), need for more care in placing, greater porosity, and more drying shrinkage.
This link is a cool example of a Mexican Adobe created with this technique.
A stucture that passes the California Earthquake code, looks cool, built to last, and energy efficient.
Super Adobe is the future for adobe buildings. The Plans are to be used in conjunction with a week long or 3 day course on building the domes. The plans include a DVD and plans for a series of domes that interconnected to created living spaces that look organic and can breathe. Perfect for Southern California, Arizona, SouthWest Living.
The design uses local materials so the cost in building the super adobe is more geared toward labor rather than shipping of materials from far away. The secret is barb wire that holds the stuffed sandbags in position.
Superadobe Technology, U.S. patent #5,934,027, has been tested on individual domes and vaults (1993-1996) for the City of Hesperia, California, Building and Safety Department, in consultation with I.C.B.O. These structures passed the California required codes.
Posts
