Rebuilding Earthquake-hit Homes in Nepal with Earthbags

“A SCOTTISH entrepreneur is using a new slant on a century-old construction method to rebuild earthquake-devastated homes in Nepal. Derek Cowan and a team of volunteers are in the village of Thangpalkot, in the foothills of the Himalayas, on a mission to replace 86 destroyed homes.

Read more

NEA Earthbag Technology Report

The Nepal Engineer’s Association (NEA) invited me and Kateryna of Good Earth Nepal to submit a technical summary of earthbag building, which has just been published. An excerpt is below. The full report is also now free online at Earthbag Building.com. You might remember that Good Earth Nepal won the NEA people’s choice design award … Read more

Earthbag School in Aagra, Nepal

Mahankal Primary School built with earthbags at Aagra-8 in Makawanpur district.
Mahankal Primary School built with earthbags at Aagra-8 in Makawanpur district.

“Mar 1, 2016- A building of Mahankal Primary School at Aagra-8 in the northern Makawanpur district built with Earthbag technology has reprieved students from studying under makeshift shelters. The April 25 earthquake had destroyed the school building.

Read more

Earthbag Shelter Nepal

Earthbag shelter for Nepal
Earthbag shelter for Nepal

I came across this project proposal for Nepal. Very little information is available, although it looks very interesting. I encourage the designer to build a prototype and report the results.

“Earthbag shelter Nepal: Sharing platform for ideas and plans relating to construction of earthbag shelters in Nepal”

Read more

Earthquake Resistant Earthbag Building Guidelines PDF

Earthquake resistant earthbag building guidelines are now available for free in a new PDF.
Earthquake resistant earthbag building guidelines are now available for free in a new PDF.

Earthen buildings are strong in compression, but need help against tension or bending stresses. The barbed wire and vertical rebar in earthbag add important tensile strength.

More than 50 earthbag buildings in Nepal have recently survived 0.5- >0.7g of earthquake motion. This same motion destroyed poorly reinforced and unreinforced masonry buildings around them, mud block and brick alike.

Read more