I like higher frequency domes because they give shorter strut lengths. Here is one way of doing it -
http://www.starship-enterprises.net/Paperdome/
This is a 17' diameter frame, a bit smaller than what you want. The longest strut is only 41". It was purposely made small to fall under the 160sq.ft. shed law, to avoid a permit that would have needed an expensive engineer. Now if you do the math you see that it is a bit larger than 160sq.ft., more like 225. The owner gambled that the inspector wasn't great at math other than rectangles, and he was right :)
A few years later that dome came back to me because the guy sold his house and the buyers did not want it. I rebuilt it on a 3' stem wall, then came back and slip-formed papercrete on the outside of it, using those thin triangles as the inside of the form. I'm sitting in it now as I type this.
http://www.starship-enterprises.net/spraywasher/Index.html
My area gets even less rain than you do, and the last few years much less than what's normal for here. Thankfully we don't have much (if any) snow in the winter. Typically we may get one or two light snows that usually stick for less than a day. Some years are exceptions, though. A couple of years ago it was below freezing for a whole week, with snow and ice storms. That really shut things down, including the local electric utility. They had lots of burst pipes!
I definitely agree with making the pc light. You can always come back and plaster on a heavy top coat if you live in a rainy area. A good geodesic frame is amazingly strong, and if you do the papercrete right it would be self supporting, so you get double strength. I have never been one to throw sand or dirt into the mix, and the cement ratio varies depending on the use of the product.
Thank-you for your reply!!
Yes I agree with you that the struts and hub connections would need to be stronger. I'm just thinking that basic style, but heavier steal and wooden cross pieces might work. As for the greenhouse and moisture that also is a very good point you have made. Where we live moisture is not such an issue and greenhouses become very dry since the natural moisture and rain is rather low 9 inches per summer but we do have long 6 month of winter with snow.
I'm also thinking to make the paper mix as light as possible to get the highest R values because we live in northern Canada and get -40C winters and since there would be extra support from the geodesic frame if built heavy enough as you have pointed out.
The straw bale domes in Israel are very, very interesting I must say. I will try to post a link to the readable site as well for you.
Jackie
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