I think your basic idea would work, but also think slip forming is better than spraying, and gives stronger structures since all joints are horizontal. Sprayed layers have a vertical shear joint on a large portion of a hemisphere.
You could remove and reuse the frame once the papercrete sets up. When I am done forming the pc outside of the dome I'm in now, I intend to remove the pipe frame since 12" of pc is self supporting in a dome shape when properly made. Usual legal disclaimers apply here - don't do this at home, if you do and it falls down on you don't blame me, you should have hired an engineer instead of listening to some guy on the internet who told you not to do it anyway. I don't think the chicken wire is necessary but it's not expensive and if it makes you feel better, then why not.
A 12' hemisphere is small. It would have a 6' peak in the center but you couldn't walk very far from dead center without bumping your head. You would probably want to put a 3-4' ring wall under the dome, and maybe even underground. Floor space would be just over 113 sq.ft.
Mikey's videos live at
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Mikey+Sklar&aq=f
The idea of covering a pile of dirt with rebar and netting, and then concrete, is one I've thought about many times, but didn't have the equipment to move the dirt. I'm surely not doing it with a shovel and wheelbarrow, though I guess that would be possible. There is a large dome that was done on a dirt pile near the west most point of Texas and right by I10. Now I do have a large pile of dirt and caliche but it is not tall enough and is too spread out. Actually it is tall enough, just needs a trench dug around it. Maybe this spring your bobcat can come visit for a day or two : )
A workshop would be fun. Your place is about as primitive as you can get and the little store a couple of miles away has nothing much in it. Dell City is less than an hour away, though. Carlsbad Caverns are less than an hour away, too. There sure are a lot of stars at night and the milky way actually looks like spilled milk.
According to past surveys you need to set a date far ahead so people can plan for it, and then post reminders as the time approaches. A long holiday weekend or spring break would be nice so several days could be planned. I like workshops that cover all the steps for a complete project.
spaceman All opinions expressed or implied are subject to change without notice upon receipt of new information. http://Starship-Enterprises.Net
On 1/11/2011 5:46 PM, George wrote:
Papercrete and blue tarp - Sticking? Chicken wire? Spaceman we have discussed many papercrete issues over the phone and in person. though I would spin this out through the net see what the group has to say... Ok I have a 1.5" peristaltic pump with a 100 psi roll air air compressor for it designed to blow stucco onto walls, Spaceman you have seen that unit though not in action, it has a 1/3rd yard hopper for mix slurry. What if you took one of your pipe frame geodesic domes, covered it with the harbor freight blue tarps and tightened the tarps with bungee cords etc... then sprayed the PC on all over the dome in whatever thickness that will stand up to a pass and let sit and recoat and continue till you get a finished product. What about after the tarp is on but before PC addition or just after the 1st layer of PC winding galvanized chicken wire around the whole skin to embed in the PC walls for a safety factor should a chunk want to come loose? Would you be able to take down the metal pipe frame and then pull the tarp off the inside of the dome and reuse leaving only papercrete behind? and or PC and chicken wire? What about after the tarp is on but before PC addition or just after the 1st layer of PC winding galvanized chicken wire around the whole skin to embed in the PC walls for a safety factor should a chunk want to come loose? For a 1/2 sphere 12' diam what thickness do you think would be minimum acceptable? what about 24' diam... You know me and spring time will be coming in the air soon and George is itching to get out to TX and do some building on his property near you! I wonder if a workshop might be in order? George http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SurvivalArchive/
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