Text below and image is from Eternally Solar / EarthBagBuild, who has a new, very impressive site with lots of great information and ideas. I haven’t had time to read their entire site, but this sounds like the largest earthbag project in the world. One intriguing aspect is their FAQ page explains how their system uses a “unique patented design that allow for interlocking of horizontal layers greatly adding to the stability of the wall.” A big thanks to Diane Boles for the heads up.
“The advantages of this construction system as detailed below have been embraced by a multinational corporation such as Engen Petroleum International, with whom we are developing a new sustainable model for service stations in central and east Africa.
Engen has recognised that the ‘triple bottom line’ is squarely addressed by the EarthBag system, through it being environmentally, economically and socially sustainable – lower impact, lower cost and job-creating.”
From Dr. Johnny Anderton:
“School was built for President of Burundi, sponsored by Engen Petroleum International. Consists of 2 blocks of 8 classrooms approx 36x9m, so about 650m2 in all (around 7000 sq ft). Finished with standard cement plaster as they wanted a conventional look to the final product.”
Comment from Dr. Anderton:
Another advantage of the central channel is that it can be filled with a material like pumice or vermiculite that is light and insulating, but one still has the outer layers of the wall as strong, higher density material, providing the strength. A sandwich construction. The channel is no doubt useful for other reasons too, I’m sure I haven’t covered them all.
It looks like they are using a single tube interlocking with double tubes of earth. The double tube bags seem to have a the center unfilled and provide the slot for the single tube. that’s a neat idea. you could do that in cold climates with the single tube filled with an insulator like scoria.
God is good
jpu
Thanks. I still haven’t read their entire site yet. The owner has been sending more info and at least one more update is coming soon.
I checked out their site and it looks pretty interesting. Is it me or do the bags they are using look narrow? In one photo they look like sections of small diameter poly tubing. I wonder how they are fastened together. They imply they don’t use barb wire.