Cob: RV: Cob codes

Mon Mar 13 07:36:51 CST 2000

Hi cobbers, I'm now working on a sustainable community project for people who lost their houses during the natural disaster ocurred in Venezuela last December. I need to ask a few questions regarding cob practices, codes and  standards:

1) What is the compression resistance of cob per cm2 (or inches)? Is datas available from lab tests ?

2) What is the maximum length of straignt walls (no curves) made of cob when constructed without columns or pilaster? Or, at what interval in meters, is it necessary to strenghten or reinforce a straight cob wall with a verticle support such as columns, pilasters, wooden posts or other structural member ?

3) How tall could be a cob wall without a floor or roof for structural support be built?

4) Do we need below structure roof a "bond beam" to tie the cob walls together ?

5) Has anyone added cement (low portion) to cob mixture looking for drying walls faster and to improve its strength?  Actually, a lot
of people add cement to adobe blocks. They are stronger than traditional adobe, however they don't use straw. What would happened to straw if we add cement to the mix for cob? Does anyone know?

Thank you all.

Alejandro Ascanio
FEDDE
Fundación Experimental de Divulgación y Desarrollo Ecológico
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<DIV><BR>Hi cobbers, I'm now working on a sustainable community project for 
people who lost their houses during the natural disaster ocurred in Venezuela 
last December. I need to ask a few questions regarding cob practices, codes 
and  standards:<BR></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1) What is the compression resistance of cob per cm2 (or inches)? Is datas 
available from lab tests ?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2) What is the maximum length of straignt walls (no curves) made of cob 
when constructed without columns or pilaster? Or, at what interval in meters, is 
it necessary to strenghten or reinforce a straight cob wall with a verticle 
support such as columns, pilasters, wooden posts or other structural member 
?<BR></DIV>
<DIV><BR>3) How tall could be a cob wall without a floor or roof for structural 
support be built?</DIV>
<DIV><BR>4) Do we need below structure roof a "bond beam" to tie the 
cob walls together ?</DIV>
<DIV align=left><BR>5) Has anyone added cement (low portion) to cob mixture 
looking for drying walls faster and to improve its strength?  Actually, a 
lot<BR>of people add cement to adobe blocks. They are stronger than traditional 
adobe, however they don't use straw. What would happened to straw if we add 
cement to the mix for cob? Does anyone know?<BR><BR>Thank you all.<BR></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Alejandro Ascanio<BR>FEDDE</DIV>
<DIV>Fundación Experimental de Divulgación y Desarrollo 
Ecológico</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>