Cob a cob code mission for all cobbers day

[Yvonne Vana]

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeffrey Kirsch <jkirsch at mindspring.com>
To: coblist at deatech.com <coblist at deatech.com>
Date: Thursday, August 13, 1998 7:31 AM
Subject: Re: Cob a cob code mission for all cobbers day


>I agree. This is the only part of cob that makes me uncomfortable. There
are
>a lot of cob structures out there in the world, and some are unfazed
>by seismic activity, while others kill their occupants. Heck, if you
>don't know what you are doing, your house might just kill you
>anyway, just to remind others that you can't ignore physics.
>
>There is a book by David Easton, "The Rammed Earth House". It
>doesn't address cob per se, but he discuss materials pretty well,
>and one thing I've learned is the design is only part of the picture.
>The makeup of the earth is a major design/structural factor. He
>builds rammed earth houses in zone 4 earthquake areas, and he
>builds the structures and tests the materials to keep the inspectors
>happy, and the occupants intact.
>
>So it probably is possible to build a cob house to these same
>levels, but it will be dumb luck if we are just throwing these
>structures together. To John's point, we need to test our materials
>and get to really know what we are working with. And this will be
>different from site to site. We also need to learn from other earth
>builders. I for one would love to build a flowing cob structure (Antoni
>Gaudi is my role model, design-wise), but I want it to last at least a
>few hundred years (my ego at work). So how do we do this?
>
>Jeffrey Kirsch
>-Plotting an escape from Atlanta
>
>From:           <Otherfish at aol.com>
>
>- one of the biggest stumbling blocks that I see for cob
>> is that we don't really know its structural limits - this stuff NEEDS to
>> be tested - so that we can know (not just pretend/hope) what it is
capable
>> of - there are physical realities to everything - we can push the limits
>> of cob or build conservatively - but until we really know - its all just
>> guess work & supposition - sooner or later someone is going to push the
>> limits a bit too far & someone wil be hurt, injured or worse- I
personally
>> don't want that to happen - it will be a setback cob does'nt need !  we
>> can build conservatively to avoid this possibility - but why do that if
we
>> don't need to - let's find cob's limits on a realistic level - based on
>> what cob's actual properties are - and built to those limits - then we
can
>> build with confidence - knowing that our buildings are not going to come
>> down & kill sombody when an earthquake does its thing -  this is possible
>> - it just need the efforts of a dedicated group - like this group - make
>> this happen !!!!! just imagine the possibility little houses on the
>> hillside - little houses made of sticky cob - little houses - little
>> houses - & they all look just so fine - there's a round one , and a short
>> one, and a tall one, and a wavey one - little houses made of sticky cob &
>> they all look just so fine
>>
>> be fine
>>
>> cob on
>> john fordice
>> otherfish at aol.com
>
>
Goodmorning,
I agree with John that there should be a aggressive research done re: code
for safe structures.I live in a area that is due for a great seismic
hit..when..anytime...I have a great love of cob and earth structures.  The
views of economical and greenwise is a joy for myself and other like minded
individuals.  But..living on the upper fault area in the northwest, I am;
and all of us should be resolved to test the limits of the structural
stability of the cob structures.  We need to be concerned with how the
negative press, and loss of safety could affect the future of cob builders.
My husband is a journeyman carpenter and structure builder for over twenty
odd years, and when I shared that I really wanted to design and build a
cob/earth structure . He was very thoughtful and questioning of my state of
decernment...But I will continue to use His wisdom in structure design and
hope that someday the study of cob/earth will come together and test and
prove the safety and viability of the cob/earth building.   I still am very
optimistic and hopeful of the minds and hearts of cob/earth builders. It is
not a dream, but a hopeful learned experience.

Keep the faith,
yvonne vana  stiched at gte.net