In searching for some information about rammed earth, I stumbled upon the following report on formwork for rammed earth structures. I think the most relevant information is on pg.7, showing the possibility of using light weight fabric forms rather than traditional concrete formwork.

http://opus.bath.ac.uk/16170/1/papers/Paper%2023.pdf

Hello teammates. I was unable to come to this weeks meeting because I already had a meeting at the sametime.

Next meeting is at 5:30, I work until 6:30 out at E-470 & Arapahoe Road. So I won't be able to make the meeting until 7:30.

Please let me know if you will still be meeting at that time & I will come.

Thank you,
Victoria Schmitz

Please look at the updates tab & files tab for new information.

Here is the link, there seem to be some helpful resources/ideas on the website, I am going to see if the library has the Earth Architecture book. Or does anyone own it?

http://www.eartharchitecture.org/index.php?/categories/39-Nepal

It is a very different story. In my pst I have knowledge of people from Haiti was a nasty pimp in Nerw York, and a fellow from Napel, in an architectural office I worked for once before. They were not nice people. Therefore The vivciousness all came out when they had the power! GEORGE WU, AIA 伍榮基 美国註册建築師

Hi everyone, I found this wonderful website regarding earth ramming with notes on various aspects and alternatives to the modern day mechanical and concrete uses:

http://earth.sustainablesources.com/#Rammed

From my research thus far (this site and other sources), in brief, it appears that there are indeed alternatives in all categories to using concrete, including: foundations, floors, loam mixtures for the walls and/or blocks, reinforcement, bond beams, and form-work. The "loam" mixture can be a combination of sand, gravel and clay with lime as the stabilizer instead of cement.

I can bring more extensions to this at our next meeting.

More to follow...

Thank you!
Brandy

Hello Team,

I have a few links to share. The first is a blog from a project going on in Guatemala that is using a Recycled Tire and Rammed Earth construction method. This would possibly be a good solution due to the ability for a thermal mass and malleability against earthquakes. I saw that the Boston chapter is working with Long Way Home on this project, so we might have an opportunity to learn from them!

http://catorcekt.wordpress.com/

The next is a butterfly roof concept. This particular one does not use bamboo but I thought the idea could be helpful if we want to include rain catchment in the design.

http://www.designbuildbluff.org/text/project/dbb_2004_rosiejoe.php

See you all on Wednesday!

Brianne

Hello everyone, here are some links on Earth Bag Construction. Logistically, this might be more easily achievable than the rammed earth...

Poly mesh type bags could be used to retain structural integrity.

Foundations can consist of rubble to keep water from wicking up into the walls. According to one of the sites, "in wet climates you can use gravel/stabilized soil/pumice for the first couple courses of bags...sloping the landscape away from the structure is wise. The bags only serve as a form until the contents cure (very solid/hard). Once they're covered w/plaster, they'll last (practically) forever,similar to rammed earth/adobe brick."

This is great for areas with any seismic concerns. Another pro is that they can be filled with local materials.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcvS5cwuoIg&feature=youtu.be
http://earthbagbuilding.com/
http://youtu.be/MKartbOHX9k

Brandy

Information below on Nepal soil conditions. I think this will help us determine the potential foundations. It is important for us to note how the soil will behave in an earthquake (i.e. liquefaction), because that may make friction piles a terrible idea...

http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Counprof/Nepal.htm#3.

SOILS AND TOPOGRAPHY

The soils of Nepal are highly variable and are derived mainly from young parent material (Manandhar 1989). Soils have been classified on the basis of soil texture, mode of transportation, and color, and are broadly divided into:-

Alluvial soil
Sandy and alluvial soil
Gravelly soil
Residual
Glacial soil
3.1 Alluvial soil

Alluvial soil is found in the valleys of the Terai region and in the middle hill valleys around Kathmandu and Pokhara. The valleys lie between the Siwalikhs and Mahabharat Lekh hills which widen out in places to form flat fertile valleys called Dun valleys. The Siwaliks (also called Churia hills) range from 300-700 m and form the southern sub-range or the pre-Himalayan range. The Mahabharat Lekh is a prominent belt of uplifted mountain in the north, parallel to the sub-range. In the inner Terai, the major Dun valleys are the Dang, Deokhuri, Surkhet, Chitwan, Kamla and Trijuga, while in the middle hills they are the Kathmandu and Pokhara. New alluvial soil, but with more sand and silt than clay, is being deposited in the flood plain areas along the river courses. Alluvial soil is also found in the slightly higher areas above the flood plain covering a greater part of the Terai. The nutrient content of new alluvial soil is fair to medium depending on how long they have been cultivated. On the other hand, the nutrient content of old alluvial soils is very low.

3.2 Sandy and alluvial soil

Valleys in the mid-hills of Kathmandu and Pokhara have sandy and silty alluvial soil, which is fairly fertile. In the Kathmandu valley, some deposits of peat mare (Kumero) have been found. This is a diatomaceous clay which is used for painting house walls during festivals in rural areas .

In addition, the Kathmandu valley is a source of dark clay / silty clay (Kalimati) soil which is obtained from deep underground pits and is used as a manure mainly for potato and other vegetable crops. This soil is rich in humus as well as in potash and has a small amount of calcium.

3.3 Gravelly soil

The foot of the Churia hills has soils of mixed gravel and pebbles. This soil is not useful for agriculture as it has a very coarse texture and cannot hold sufficient moisture for plant growth. Such soils were deposited by rivers originating in the Churia hills and have a high lime content. Some soils in high mountain areas are also coarse textured gravels.

3.4 Residual soil

This type of soil is found mostly on the ridges and slopes of the mountains. Soils of the Churia hills are very young and coarse, and are dry for most of the year. Soils on the slopes of mid-hills are medium to low in plant nutrients but less productive due to moisture and climatic limitations.

3.5 Glacial soil

These soils, found in high Himalayan regions, are mostly rocky. They are covered with snow most of the time.

Hi Everyone!

I found some case studies on roofing systems used on other projects in Nepal. The first one utilizes Ferrocement. It's a mixture of typical cement materials as well as sand and earth. Located in Bardiya, district of Gulariya, Nepal. It's also said to have better resistance to fire, earthquakes, and corrosion than many other methods used in Nepal.

http://blog.roomtoread.org/room-to-read/2010/04/its-nothing-but-the-best...

This one is another Architecture for Humanity project completed in 2008. They used a straw and clay roof. Materials were site related and could be easily replicated by the Nepalese.

http://openarchitecturenetwork.org/node/1163?ob_fs=1

Impressive Bamboo Structures:
http://www.yellowseedbamboo.com/jewelry-factory/index.html
http://www.architectoo.com/2010/02/bamboo-structure-in-open-space-public...
if you just type in "bamboo structure" or "bamboo roof" into google images you'll find many more

Bamboo Treatment Options:
http://www.conbam.info/pagesEN/basics.html
http://www.guaduabamboo.com/chemical-bamboo-preservation.html

Principles of Joining Bamboo:
http://www.guaduabamboo.com/joining-bamboo-basic-principles.html
http://www.scribd.com/doc/24688327/A-Long-Term-Survival-Guide-How-to-Mak...

Hello everyone, here is a link on the living machines I mentioned last meeting as a water treatment system idea (not sure its really applicable to the project anymore but wanted to share anyway):

http://inhabitat.com/living-machines-turning-wastewater-clean-with-plant...

And a you-tube video on aquaponics for on -site food production ideas. Is this an option for this region?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU9x_W9X-tM&feature=player_embedded

Thanks, Brandy

Hello everyone,

I have included a pdf under the "files" tab discussing the different techniques of daylighting a classroom. This info was taken from a class given at UCD CAP by Paul Hutton a few years back. While we may not have access to the high-tech materials he references, we should be able to incorporate some of the ideas with what's available.

Thanks,
Kirsten

http://www.sulabhinternational.org/
" alternative roof building methods. " in Nepal :
http://www.lingshed.org/mambo/content/blogcategory/40/90

Check out this website for links to code and material information for Nepal.

http://dudbc.gov.np/building.php

In doing research for our project on how to heat a large space with a wood stove, I ran across this article from 1976.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Green-Homes/1976-11-01/Heat-House-With-Wo...

The author designed and built a 1300 SF house in Maine, and heats it with a single wood-burning stove, with the help of an air circulation system and an insulated crawl space. This technology is similar to the Korean Ondol floor, and the Roman Hypocaust floor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ondol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocaust