I'll bet you can drive rebar through successive layers of compressed pc block, but the
peastones idea in hollow cavities could provide thermal mass within an insulative wall--
interesting idea, I don't see why it couldn't work, especially with a double wall with the
exterior wall composed entirely of PC. Interesting idea.
--- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "Nick Boersema" <picknick@...> wrote:
>
> Nice rant though.
>
>
>
> John what about a hollow pc block filled with peastone. Then another layer
> of solid pc block on the outside. If the wall cracks or breaks in a quake
> the peastone will just flow down or out. The wall can be repaired and the
> stone poured back in?
>
>
>
> Just a thought.
>
>
>
> Nick
>
>
>
> _____
>
> From: papercreters@yahoogroups.com [mailto:papercreters@yahoogroups.com] On
> Behalf Of John Annesley
> Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2007 1:53 AM
> To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [papercreters] Re: Papercrete vs CEB vs rammed earth vs adobe vs
> strawbale vs cordwood vs today'
>
>
>
> In the original post it was stated that "The CEB blocks have a natural
> insulating quality- R
> factor is enormous but the real interest is the 12 hour heat transfer." I
> understand what
> was meant here, but just for technicality sake, let me point out that the R
> value is nil in a
> CEB (compressed earth block), but that you're entirely correct in saying
> "the real interest is
> the 12 hour heat transer." That heat transfer is called K value, or "the
> thermal flywheel
> effect" and is the big bonus of thermal mass. The biggest bonuses in home
> construction
> come when folks combine thermal mass jacketed in insulative material.
>
> My only problem with CEB is that its block, and as with all heavy bricks and
> blocks, they
> fall down and kill thousands during earthquakes in the third world. They
> will here too
> except where the code required reinforcement such as hollow block with rebar
> running
> through it. My focus in alternative building has been on finding building
> methods which
> make sense in terms of personal safety, and energy effeciency. There are a
> lot of neat
> things out there and I've always been a very open minded individual, but
> I've come to a
> point where I'm unwilling to compromise in terms of considering building
> houses that
> when put to the test will definitely fall on you and crush your family or at
> least all your
> posessions, leaving you also homeless. Likewise, I've determined not to
> build burnable,
> rottable, boxes or anything else with great great insulation and no thermal
> mass, or great
> thermal mass and no insulation. Something safe and practical is what I'm
> concerned with.
> I'm not trying to be 'down' on papercrete or other alternative
> construction-- traditional
> wood framed houses with good insulation and no thermal mass are about the
> epitomy of
> disastrous design if you ask me, in every way except earth quake resistance
> where they do
> pretty well. They burn, they get too wet and they rot, termites like 'em,
> and without
> thermal mass you're pumping heating and cooling into a well insulated box: I
> don't get it.
> Actually I do get it: its fast and easy, like portland cement. Portland
> isn't the best thing for
> the job all the time either, its just fast and easy and hence the reason
> that it gained such
> widespread popularity to the point that almost nobody even understands that
> there are
> alternatives. In the construction trades time is money, and that's the
> driving force in
> building technology, not making an energy efficient home although so many
> folks believe
> that's what's going on. I'll stop ranting now. Oooops.
>
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