Cob: RE: seismic strength

[Patrick Newberry]

john fordice wrote: 

 Cob is much heavier & unless a cob building is properly designed and built as very thick walls,  it does not have much seismic strength. 

My thoughts are the shape of the building has a reasonable amount to do with seismic strength. Nader out in CalEarth had several earthen 
buildings. Circular in shape. They survived a reasonablly strong earth quake that occured near Hesperia California some years back (center may have been near Joshua Tree, but my brain fails me now) Anyway, 
the walls were about 12 (or so) inches thick on the on building I am thinking of and they did just fine. Of course that may qualify as properly designed and very think but I guess in my mind, very think is more like 24 inches thick. 

Pat
www.gypsyfarm.com