9 thoughts on “Eternally Solar Earthbag Project Page”
In the picture about 4 posts below, it appears they use a frame for the window opening. They place the bags directly over the frame and fill the center with concrete. It also looks like small steel rods/thick wire are placed width wise across the bags on to both the inner and outer earth filled sections. The rods are buried into the center concrete. There could also be rebar layed into the concrete spanning the window width, but the picture doesn’t show it.
I would think that some small diameter steel rod actually pushed thru the inner and outer courses and tied to 2 center rebars would be an excellent lintel. The small rods would support the outside earth filled sections of the bag.
Correct, that particular lintel has 2 pieces of rebar set in the first layer of concrete in the first channel. This provides the tensile strength for the underside of the lintel that is in tension.
Then there is another layer of bags, each with three 100x 100 square holes cut (or preferably burned with a hot knife or square metal shape heated in a flame) into the centre web of the bag. This allows for vertical connection between concrete layers. Then the channel is filled with concrete but no rebar as this layer will be in compression. And so it goes, the number of layers being determined by the span of the opening and the weight that the lintel is supporting.
The idea of the small transverse rods is a good one. The earthbags that form the lintel also have stabilised earth/cement in the tubes, so it would tie the tubes well to the centre concrete section. The wires that you refer to in the picture are just to keep the rebar from sagging through the concrete, or deviating from the centre of the channel.
Ps I have uploaded a lot more images of various projects to http://www.earthbagbuild.com See the Project Gallery page.
When you make the lintel. Is it first the form to represent the door/window and then a slab of cement/concrete/rebar and then the 3-channel bag (with sand in 1 & 3) on top and then more cement /concrete for the next round? Or is it created in another way.
In the picture about 4 posts below, it appears they use a frame for the window opening. They place the bags directly over the frame and fill the center with concrete. It also looks like small steel rods/thick wire are placed width wise across the bags on to both the inner and outer earth filled sections. The rods are buried into the center concrete. There could also be rebar layed into the concrete spanning the window width, but the picture doesn’t show it.
I would think that some small diameter steel rod actually pushed thru the inner and outer courses and tied to 2 center rebars would be an excellent lintel. The small rods would support the outside earth filled sections of the bag.
There must be two pieces of rebar that run down the center of the wall. It’s in the concrete, but you can’t see it.
Correct, that particular lintel has 2 pieces of rebar set in the first layer of concrete in the first channel. This provides the tensile strength for the underside of the lintel that is in tension.
Then there is another layer of bags, each with three 100x 100 square holes cut (or preferably burned with a hot knife or square metal shape heated in a flame) into the centre web of the bag. This allows for vertical connection between concrete layers. Then the channel is filled with concrete but no rebar as this layer will be in compression. And so it goes, the number of layers being determined by the span of the opening and the weight that the lintel is supporting.
The idea of the small transverse rods is a good one. The earthbags that form the lintel also have stabilised earth/cement in the tubes, so it would tie the tubes well to the centre concrete section. The wires that you refer to in the picture are just to keep the rebar from sagging through the concrete, or deviating from the centre of the channel.
Ps I have uploaded a lot more images of various projects to http://www.earthbagbuild.com See the Project Gallery page.
Thanks for the clarification. I’m looking forward to hearing your reaction about Bill McNulty’s cast stone system.
http://earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com/2011/05/31/earthbag-building-may-be-thousands-of-years-old/
Some impressive stuff.
When you make the lintel. Is it first the form to represent the door/window and then a slab of cement/concrete/rebar and then the 3-channel bag (with sand in 1 & 3) on top and then more cement /concrete for the next round? Or is it created in another way.
I think they do the bags with reinforced concrete directly on the form. Maybe Johnny can clarify.
Yes, that is how we have done it so far, but I’m sure there are many ways to do it.
how do they do the bags at the top of the windows and doors? Do they use concrete and rebar filled bags supported by a wooden form?
I don’t know what they do, but a concrete sill can wick moisture up into the window buck and window. Make sure you have wide roof overhangs.