Cob: Re: Cob + Strawbale + Earthships (fwd)

[David Knapp]

Tony,

Just be sure that you have a way of connecting the tires together.  Normally the tires and centers are compacted with 300 - 350 pounds of soil.  The tires bulge and interlock with each other.  It would be next to impossible to achieve this without filling and compacting the centers too.  Without it, you will have a wobbly, spongy wall.  Normally tire walls are round or U shaped as the individual case may be, but most are earth bermed.  Those that aren't are usually wrapped in a straw bale outer layer.  In my opinion, you'd be much better off to cob the wall and wrap it in straw bales (doing straw bale stucco on the outside).

Dave

************************************************
David & Sheila Knapp
Winnebago, Illinois
Renewables at bigfoot.com
http://www.geocities.com/renewables/

"As you think, so shall you be!"
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tony Glaser" <aglaser at engsoc.carleton.ca>
To: <coblist at deatech.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2000 4:37 PM
Subject: Cob: Cob + Strawbale + Earthships (fwd)


> 
> 
> Hi folks,
> 
> Just looking for thoughts on my idea.  For those who don't know,
> earthships are a method of building using discarded car tires filled with
> earth and surrounded by concrete.  The tires are stacked like bricks
> and also serve as the foundation below grade. They are built in a 'U'
> shape with the opening of the 'U' facing south for passive solar.
> 
> I live in a cold climate and my idea is to fill the rims of the tires with
> dirt, the centers and gaps with straw, and cob both sides (more on the
> inside than out).
> 
> My goal is to find an architect and structural engineer in my province
> (Ontario) to get it working with and make the plans freely available.
> 
> What do you think?
> 
> Tony
> 
> --------------------------------------------
> Anthony Glaser
> aglaser at engsoc.carleton.ca
> http://www.engsoc.carleton.ca/~aglaser
> Year 3 Electrical
> Faculty of Engineering, Carleton University
> 
> 
>