COMBINING EARTHBAG (HYBRID WALLS FOR TROPICAL AND SUB-TROPICAL AREAS) HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO PART 1 Patti Stouter April 2012 www.simpleearthstructures.com and www.simplestructures.net
COMBINING EARTHBAG: HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO PART 1 This file covers some innovative building ideas. See the Earthbag Info and Ubuntu-Blox Info series also available online to learn more about building with these materials. More information about straw wattle will be available online soon. Strong buildings require care and advice. Before building, purchase a book or video, take a course, and/ or seek advice from experienced builders and/ or architects or engineers. Books and videos available at: http://www.earthbagbuilding.com/resources.htm This work by Patti Stouter is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
CONTENTS Why Base Walls? Attaching to Earthbag Upper Wall Options HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 3
WHY BASE WALLS? STRONG EARTHBAG NATURAL, SIMPLE TECHNOLOGY RESISTS WIND, FIRE, TERMITES GRAVEL BAG IS FLOOD-PROOF HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 4
May be safer in earthquakes LESS RISKY THAN REINFORCED CONCRETE WHEN BUILT BY INEXPERIENCED LABOR GRAVEL AND SAND BAGS MAY ABSORB QUAKE VIBRATIONS HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 5
THERMAL MASS AVERAGES OUT DAILY HIGHS AND LOWS Earthbag for comfort and lowmaintenance CONCRETE STUCCO FINISH ON ANY SOIL IN FROST FREE AREAS HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 6
Low-cost earthbag COSTS 1/3-1/5 AS MUCH AS CONCRETE BLOCK IN REGIONS WITH LOW LABOR COSTS HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 7
Full height earthbag walls 15 / 38 cm THICK HEAVY WORK NEED STRONG REINFORCING IN SEISMIC RISK ZONES HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 8
Best of both: heavy base with light top SOLID WALL RESISTS DAMAGE LARGER OPENINGS EXPERIENCES LESS STRESS IN AN EARTHQUAKE HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 9
Earthbag base wall: 12 / 30 cm wide and 2-4 / 0.6-1.2 m high 20% LESS WORK FOR NARROWER WALLS LIGHTER BAGS EASIER TO LIFT LITTLE REINFORCING IN SEISMIC RISK ZONES HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 10
Light upper walls 4 / 1.2 m high NEED LESS BRACING HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 11
Lift wood or straw above water and UNLIKE CEMENT- ground termites RAW EARTH IN BAGS AND PLASTER DRIES WOOD OR STRAW HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 12
ATTACHING TO EARTHBAG HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 13
Concrete posts for confined masonry above TACK BAGS TO LEAVE POST SPACES PLACE REBAR NAIL WOOD BOARD TO BAGS POUR CONCRETE OVER WIRE AND REBAR HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 14
Rebar pins for flexible walls ADD REBAR IN OPENINGS NAIL FORMS & POUR ANCHOR PLACE CHANNEL BAG FORM ON TOP OF WALL HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 15
Anchor bolts in concrete POUR CONCRETE PLUGS WITH EMBEDDED BOLTS AS YOU BUILD HAMMER REBAR THROUGH SILL PLATES, THEN ATTACH POLES TO SILLS AND BOLTS HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 16
Inset poles or sleeves in earthbag BRACE TO RESIST TAMPING USE PLASTTIC PIPE OR STRAP OR NAIL TO WOOD ANCHORS HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 17
Brackets for attaching upper walls PLACE METAL OR PLASTIC STRAPS BETWEEN COURSES HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 18
UPPER WALL OPTIONS STIFFER UPPER WALLS CONFINED BETWEEEN VERTICAL POSTS FLEXIBLE UPPER WALLS PINNED OR BRACED CEB/ Compressed Earth Block Straw Wattle Ubuntu/ Recycled plastic blocks INFILL WALLS IN STRUCTURAL FRAME Plastic bottles Wood or bamboo siding Decorative panel of glass bottles HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 19
CEB/ Compressed earth block 8-10 INCHES/ 20-25 cm THICK 35%- 45% LIGHTER THAN EARTHBAG STIFF GOOD COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH, LOW SHEAR STRENGTH HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 20
Earthbag can keep CEB high and UNSTABILIZED CEB LASTS WELL IF DRY dry SKILLED LABOR NO PLASTER NEEDED HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 21
CEBs need a strong base wall IN SEISMIC RISK ZONES CEB WALLS MUST BE CONFINED- EVERY 12 / 4 m WITH VERTICAL REINFORCED CONCRETE HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 22
STRAW WATTLE LIGHT CLAY IN MESH TUBE 7 / 18 cm THICK 70-80% LIGHTER THAN EARTHBAG LIGHT, FLEXIBLE, MODERATE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH AND GOOD SHEAR STRENGTH HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 23
Making structural light clay STUFF TUBES FULL OF STRAW SEW TUBES TOGETHER IN PLACE SOAK 2-3 COURSES WITH CLAY SLIP AT A TIME FINISH WITH LIME PLASTER More information and instructions at www.simpleearthstructures.com HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 24
Light clay a common infill in Europe INSULATED LIGHT, UNSKILLED LABOR NARROWER WALL AND LESS MOLD RISK THAN STRAW-BALE HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 25
A structural wall for small one-story buildings WOOD SILL AND BOND BEAM LIGHTWEIGHT ROUND POLES ON INSIDE LIGHT-WEIGHT ROOFS ONLY IN REGIONS WITHOUT SNOW HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 26
UBUNTU-BLOX/ RECYCLED PLASTIC 8 INCH/ 20 cm THICK WALL (8x8x16 INCH/ 20x20x40 cm) 70-90 % LIGHTER THAN EARTHBAG FLEXIBLE HIGH SHEAR AND COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 27
Earthbag keeps recycled PLASTIC BLOCK WALLS ARE FLEXIBLE FOAM BLOCKS ARE HIGHLY INSULATED block above damage HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 28
Making recycled Ubuntu-blox CLEAN NON-RECYCLABLE PLASTIC COMPRESS IN A HAND PRESS BALE ON A HAND PRESS PIN WALLS WITH REBAR More information and instructions at http://www.simplestructures.net/recycled.php HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 29
Ubuntu walls post-tensioned ATTACH BLOCKS TO HORIZONTAL WIRE PIN BLOCKS BETWEEN REBAR, TIGHTEN HORIZONTAL WIRE HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 30
Hybrid Ubuntu wall IN SEISMIC RISK ZONES CEMENT STUCCO MAY BE NEEDED FOR STRENGTH A WOOD BOND BEAM HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 31
PLASTIC BOTTLE WALLS FOR RURAL AREAS WITHOUT RECYCLING LOW SKILL LEVEL LABOR TO FILL BOTTLES HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 32
Structural bottle columns or walls 12 / 30 cm THICK HEAVY BUT FLEXIBLE WALL BOTTLES FILLED WITH EARTH STRONG CLAY OR CEMENT MORTAR MORE INFORMATION AT www.ecotec-africa.com HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 33
Plastic bottle infill walls 4 INCH/ 10 cm THICK WALL- NONSTRUCTURAL INFILL IN FRAME GOOD FOR INTERIOR WALLS WITH OR WITHOUT PLASTER HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 34
Bottles sandwiched in chicken wire PET BOTTLES STUFFED WITH FILM TRASH MORE INFORMATION AT www.bottleschools.org HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 35
WOOD OR BAMBOO SIDING THIN WALL VERY LIGHT AND FLEXIBLE GOOD COMPRESSIVE AND SHEAR STRENGTH HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 36
Flexible wood or bamboo structure SKILLED WORK NOT INSULATED HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 37
Louvered upper walls HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 38
DECORATIVE BOTTLE PANELS INFILL IN STRUCTURAL FRAME FILL AROUND EMPTY GLASS BOTTLES WITH STICKY STRAW AND CLAY HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 39
Bottle panels NOT INSULATED CAREFUL WORKERS HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 40
Thanks for hard work and sharing photos: Photos used with permission: 1 (3 RD from left), 32 right, 34 l., 35- Hug it Forward, www.bottleschools.com 1 (4 th from left), 36 l.- Benjamin Greenock 4- Emma Bellamy, U. Cincinnati prototype, KY, US 8- Jeff Bosquet, residence, CA, US 11, 12 (bottom), 37 r.- Sand Hill Farm, MO, US 12 (upper), 13 r.- Builders without Borders, Haiti 13 l.- Residence, Patagonia 17 l., 37 l.- Aman Setu School, Pune, India 20, 21- Wikimedia 25- Peter Eastern, UK 27, 28- Harvey Lacey and friends 34 r.- Somos Children s Village, Guatemala 36 r.- Titus zur Megede 39, 40 r.- Morgan, US 40 bottom r.- Hundertwasser Toilets, Kawakawa, New Zealand A public service of www.simpleearthstructures.com HYBRID EARTHBAG INFO 1: Combining Earthbag 41