[Cob] Silverfish, Tornadoes, and Humidity

[林雅茵]

Thank you so much for the sharing, the information is very useful.I've been
thinkging about the combination of bamboo and cob too,not only for
structural reason,but also for the climate.

The seismic test you mentioned,could you tell me more about the nature of
it?Can you get building permit by proceeding such test and offering the
analysis of it in Canada. And finally, would it be possible that I get an
access to a copy of the test report?

Welcome to my work site, if you get a chance to come back visiting Taiwan.

 

Ya-Yin

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Ian Marcuse [mailto:dtebb at alternatives.com] 

Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 2:58 PM

To: ????

Subject: RE: [Cob] Silverfish, Tornadoes, and Humidity

 

I used to live in taiwan and remember experiencing one 5.6 

earthquake. I have also built a fair amount of cob.

 

The most likely point of failure on a cob structure will be the 

foundation, rather than the actual cob walls. We did a siesmic test 

of a cob model at the University of British Columbia this year, and 

our model (6ft diameterX 5 ft high) withstood a 7.2 quake with hardly 

a crack. We did not build a foundation. You could build a rubble 

trench for starters to allow for some lateral movement under the 

foundation. You can not build a dry stack foundation. It will crumble 

apart easily I would think. You will need to build a very good 

foundation and I would suggest a bondbeam. I would also mortar in 

vertical tie rods of some sort, perhaps bamboo might help, to anchor 

the walls, or build your foundation with a key hole, again, to tie 

your wall to the top of the foundation so it does not laterally slide 

off. In your walls bury lots of vertical sticks. This will also 

prevent serious cracking from the side to side motion of a quake. I 

would suggest talking to a local stonemason to get the best advice 

for building in such an earthquake prone area like Taiwan.

 

Ian Marcuse

Vancouver, Canada

 

 

>?I live in Taiwan, a seismic zone, and I wonder if it would be wise to
apply

>pure cob wall system with stacked foundation, yet I do very much prefer one

>whithout much compromise.

>

>Ya-Yin

>

>-----Original Message-----

>From: coblist-bounces at deatech.com [mailto:coblist-bounces at deatech.com] On

>Behalf Of Shannon C. Dealy

>Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 12:44 PM

>To: Brent Flaco Wilson

>Cc: coblist at deatech.com

>Subject: Re: [Cob] Silverfish, Tornadoes, and Humidity

>

>On Tue, 22 Mar 2005, Brent Flaco Wilson wrote:

>

>>  I was wondering about dry stacked foundations.  They would seem to
provide

>>  excellent habitat to numerous insects, possibly amphibians, reptiles and

>>  small mammals.  Any thoughts on this.  Also if one wanted to use round

>rock

>>  for a footing, what would be the best "mortar" for this under cob walls.

>[snip]

>

>Well the obvious answer is don't use a dry stacked foundation, a simple

>lime based mortar while not particularly strong will give it additional

>stablility as well as keeping out insects, reptiles, etc.

>

>As far as round rock, it depends on what you mean, if they are really

>round or close to it, I probably wouldn't use them, but if you just mean

>irregularly shaped rocks that are not flat on two opposing sides, there is

>generally nothing wrong with using these, though it will require more

>mortar, and if you are in a seismic zone, depending on your design, it may

>be desireable to use cement and/or rebar with the rock to give it

>sufficient strength.

>

>

>Shannon C. Dealy      |               DeaTech Research Inc.

>dealy at deatech.com     |          - Custom Software Development -

>                       |    Embedded Systems, Real-time, Device Drivers

>Phone: (800) 467-5820 | Networking, Scientific & Engineering Applications

>    or: (541) 929-4089 |                  www.deatech.com

>

>

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