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The Work of Art and The Art of Work
Kiko Denzer on Art



Cob: Re: cob, pise

Frances Grill grill at vtc.net
Sat Feb 1 07:40:03 CST 2003


Cat, Do you know how they got the foundation above the dirt level? It seems (at least in conventional construction anyway) that one reason for the footer is to get the side walls up away from the damp earth so you cicumvent wicking the moisture up into the sidewall. It seems that would  be even more important with soil construction. So if the rocks are driven into the earth how do you prevent wicking ? Maybe it was only used for floors??? which sounds workable being inside.?   PAZ,  Pedro
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Yun Que <yunk88 at hotmail.com>
    To: chansey at earthlink.net <chansey at earthlink.net>; coblist at deatech.com <coblist at deatech.com>
    Date: Friday, January 31, 2003 11:01 PM
    Subject: Re: Cob: Re: cob, pise
    
    
    
    
    

    > but the stones for the foundations were pounded into the ground this way and no other foundation was needed.  They did not dig a hole first!  The house was then set on these piers.  Thinking I may do my floor this way, but it may work for rammed earth if the forms are well buttressed.  

    for the good of all Cat
    
    

    >From: "SANCO Enterprises, LLC" 
    >Reply-To: "SANCO Enterprises, LLC" 
    >To: "Jill hotmail" ,"cob list" 
    >Subject: Cob: Re: cob, pise 
    >Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 19:38:35 -0700 
    > 
    >Jill inquired, 
    > 
    >Jill made a serious inquiry about the different methods of construction and I will attempt to clear up a few things. I realize that those of us who have been around for a while take things too lightly--and if I have I apologize. 
    > 
    >Let's start with some basics. All earthen compositions regardless of the terminology must accomplish one thing ---provide a strong building component. If you look at the material ratios of clay, soil, sand or aggregate for cob, adobe or rammed earth, they are all essentially the same when used in their natural state. 
    > 
    >Straw is an added component that that has to be used appropriately. When used in cob or in more humid climates, the permeability of the structure in improved through the use of straw--it breathes better. In less humid areas where rain fall is not a factor, you can do without the straw. In many areas where there is not a sufficient amount of non-clay material, straw, grass or other organic materials will be used to minimize cracking and provide for a monolithic unit. 
    > 
    >Pise and Rammeed Earth 
    >NO-EQUIPMENT: if this is the approach one is going to take, the forms can be simple. Hand tamps do not provide the same amount of impact force as pneumatic equipment, therefore the lifts must be in the 2 or 3 inch range. Any more than that, you will have weak or void areas when the forms are pulled. The moisture content is critical and should be optimum based on the materials being used. With hand tamps you will be fortunate if you achieve 90% compaction. This would be identical to the material mix for CEB's (compressed earth blocks) made by machine. Pozzolan based materials or cement may be added to the base material to add strength. This is a matter of choice. If enough cement is used, you will not need a render or plaster. 
    > 
    >Machinery and equipment for Pise and Rammed Earth 
    >Tampers (powder-puff), usually about 6" in diameter is used to tamp the material. It is similar to a pogo-stick with a plate of steel at the end and is run by compressed air. Bobcats, tractors and conveyors are often used to deposit material into the forms. Here the lifts can be 6" deep as the tamper is capable of achieving 100% compaction. Over-compacting can blow-out a form. Cement is optional and will achieve the same results as above. 
    > 
    >Easton's Method for PISE 
    >This is not rammed earth or Pise--it is concrete, be it a weak mix, that is applied. It is no different than the methods used for guniting a swimming pool, lining a mine shaft or stabilizing a hillside. It is the same equipment and process used for ferro-cement applications. You can not achieve consolidation and compaction of soil and optimum moisture simply by blowing or guniting the material---it will fall apart. Eaton's use of a high cement content is what makes his process work. I works and is successful--but expensive. 
    > 
    >All earthen construction has limits as to how high you can build. The aspect ratio is the limiting factor. This is another topic onto its own. 
    > 
    >Re-bar or reinforcing steel will work only if can be encapsulated to utilize its properties. It has very little beneficial use in cob, adobe or CEB construction. When used in a rammed earth or a-la-Easton process, you enrich the material around the re-bar with cement to create a beam or column. 
    > 
    >Hope this has helped a wee bit. 
    > 
    > 
    > 
    >SANCO Enterprises, LLC 
    >Paul Salas, General Manager 
    >P.O. Box 45741 
    >Rio Rancho, NM 87174 
    >(505) 238-1485 
    >chansey at earthlink.net 
    > 
    

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<DIV><FONT size=2>Cat, Do you know how they got the foundation above the dirt 
level? It seems (at least in conventional construction anyway) that one reason 
for the footer is to get the side walls up away from the damp earth so you 
cicumvent wicking the moisture up into the sidewall. It seems that would  
be even more important with soil construction. So if the rocks are driven into 
the earth how do you prevent wicking ? Maybe it was only used for floors??? 
which sounds workable being inside.?   PAZ,  Pedro</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE 
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 solid 2px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">
    <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><B>-----Original Message-----</B><BR><B>From: 
    </B>Yun Que <<A 
    href="mailto:yunk88 at hotmail.com">yunk88 at hotmail.com</A>><BR><B>To: </B><A 
    href="mailto:chansey at earthlink.net">chansey at earthlink.net</A> <<A 
    href="mailto:chansey at earthlink.net">chansey at earthlink.net</A>>; <A 
    href="mailto:coblist at deatech.com">coblist at deatech.com</A> <<A 
    href="mailto:coblist at deatech.com">coblist at deatech.com</A>><BR><B>Date: 
    </B>Friday, January 31, 2003 11:01 PM<BR><B>Subject: </B>Re: Cob: Re: cob, 
    pise<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
    <DIV>
    <DIV>
    <P><BR><BR></P>
    <DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>
    <P>> but the stones for the foundations were pounded into the ground this 
    way and no other foundation was needed.  They did not dig a hole 
    first!  The house was then set on these piers.  Thinking I may do 
    my floor this way, but it may work for rammed earth if the forms are well 
    buttressed.  </P>
    <P><EM>for the good of all </EM>Cat<BR><BR></P></DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>From: "SANCO Enterprises, 
    LLC"<CHANSEY at EARTHLINK.NET> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>Reply-To: "SANCO Enterprises, 
    LLC"<CHANSEY at EARTHLINK.NET> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>To: "Jill hotmail"<WRITEJILL at HOTMAIL.COM> 
    ,"cob list"<COBLIST at DEATECH.COM> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>Subject: Cob: Re: cob, pise 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 19:38:35 -0700 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>Jill inquired,<LET me see if I have this straight> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>Jill made a serious inquiry about the different methods of 
    construction and I will attempt to clear up a few things. I realize that 
    those of us who have been around for a while take things too lightly--and if 
    I have I apologize. 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>Let's start with some basics. All earthen compositions 
    regardless of the terminology must accomplish one thing ---provide a strong 
    building component. If you look at the material ratios of clay, soil, sand 
    or aggregate for cob, adobe or rammed earth, they are all essentially the 
    same when used in their natural state. 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>Straw is an added component that that has to be used 
    appropriately. When used in cob or in more humid climates, the permeability 
    of the structure in improved through the use of straw--it breathes better. 
    In less humid areas where rain fall is not a factor, you can do without the 
    straw. In many areas where there is not a sufficient amount of non-clay 
    material, straw, grass or other organic materials will be used to minimize 
    cracking and provide for a monolithic unit. 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>Pise and Rammeed Earth 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>NO-EQUIPMENT: if this is the approach one is going to take, 
    the forms can be simple. Hand tamps do not provide the same amount of impact 
    force as pneumatic equipment, therefore the lifts must be in the 2 or 3 inch 
    range. Any more than that, you will have weak or void areas when the forms 
    are pulled. The moisture content is critical and should be optimum based on 
    the materials being used. With hand tamps you will be fortunate if you 
    achieve 90% compaction. This would be identical to the material mix for 
    CEB's (compressed earth blocks) made by machine. Pozzolan based materials or 
    cement may be added to the base material to add strength. This is a matter 
    of choice. If enough cement is used, you will not need a render or plaster. 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>Machinery and equipment for Pise and Rammed Earth 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>Tampers (powder-puff), usually about 6" in diameter is 
    used to tamp the material. It is similar to a pogo-stick with a plate of 
    steel at the end and is run by compressed air. Bobcats, tractors and 
    conveyors are often used to deposit material into the forms. Here the lifts 
    can be 6" deep as the tamper is capable of achieving 100% compaction. 
    Over-compacting can blow-out a form. Cement is optional and will achieve the 
    same results as above. 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>Easton's Method for PISE 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>This is not rammed earth or Pise--it is concrete, be it a 
    weak mix, that is applied. It is no different than the methods used for 
    guniting a swimming pool, lining a mine shaft or stabilizing a hillside. It 
    is the same equipment and process used for ferro-cement applications. You 
    can not achieve consolidation and compaction of soil and optimum moisture 
    simply by blowing or guniting the material---it will fall apart. Eaton's use 
    of a high cement content is what makes his process work. I works and is 
    successful--but expensive. 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>All earthen construction has limits as to how high you can 
    build. The aspect ratio is the limiting factor. This is another topic onto 
    its own. 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>Re-bar or reinforcing steel will work only if can be 
    encapsulated to utilize its properties. It has very little beneficial use in 
    cob, adobe or CEB construction. When used in a rammed earth or a-la-Easton 
    process, you enrich the material around the re-bar with cement to create a 
    beam or column. 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>Hope this has helped a wee bit. 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>SANCO Enterprises, LLC 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>Paul Salas, General Manager 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>P.O. Box 45741 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>Rio Rancho, NM 87174 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>(505) 238-1485 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>>chansey at earthlink.net 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>> 
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV>
    <DIV></DIV></DIV><BR clear=all>
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