Habaritag:dayonedesign.org,2021-11-26:rammed-earth/799b70a211f76760e01c6f94898d4949967f977dbioconstruction and beyond2010-11-21T12:55:15-08:00erica anntag:dayonedesign.net,2011:rammed-earth-column/13142631022010-11-21T12:55:15-08:002011-08-25T02:05:02-07:002010-11-21T09:07:00-08:00<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlS1RMmcBI/AAAAAAAABys/N6X60IYdtkg/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn1_4670.jpg" thumb="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlS1RMmcBI/AAAAAAAABys/N6X60IYdtkg/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn1_4670.jpg"> Alright, pop quiz, so what can you make with steel pipes, and some scraps of plastic corrugated roofing? <img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlS016wuKI/AAAAAAAAByk/SogGto308tU/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn2_4679.jpg" thumb="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlS016wuKI/AAAAAAAAByk/SogGto308tU/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn2_4679.jpg"> okay, okay, and a bunch of duct tape? <img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSuRBQG8I/AAAAAAAAByc/C1T54h8lCL4/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn3_4682.jpg" thumb="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSuRBQG8I/AAAAAAAAByc/C1T54h8lCL4/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn3_4682.jpg"> <img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlStscPsXI/AAAAAAAAByU/-QM0m8ONZPk/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn4_4689.jpg" thumb="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlStscPsXI/AAAAAAAAByU/-QM0m8ONZPk/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn4_4689.jpg"> <img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlStbNWwVI/AAAAAAAAByM/xWXvp0Q2VEs/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn5_4684.jpg" thumb="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlStbNWwVI/AAAAAAAAByM/xWXvp0Q2VEs/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn5_4684.jpg"> Answer: A fluted column form for a site-based, rammed earth experiment! <img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlStIKnT5I/AAAAAAAAByE/Wc1xn5XR1nY/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn6_4698.jpg" thumb="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlStIKnT5I/AAAAAAAAByE/Wc1xn5XR1nY/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn6_4698.jpg"> After reading all the books I could find on the subject and doing small batch tests with the local soil, I design the mix to be 16 : 3 : 1 (site soil, mason's sand, cement) for the optimal compressive strength and a finish that I won't have to plaster yet still withstand the elements. <img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSst_sOII/AAAAAAAABx8/O_rMp-gP8Do/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn7_4708.jpg" thumb="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSst_sOII/AAAAAAAABx8/O_rMp-gP8Do/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn7_4708.jpg"> <img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSbefB-UI/AAAAAAAABx0/kcoCyAlB2hI/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn8_4711.jpg" thumb="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSbefB-UI/AAAAAAAABx0/kcoCyAlB2hI/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn8_4711.jpg"> We weren't entirely sure if the whole thing wasn't just going to collapse actually when we took of the form the following day. But it worked great! <img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSaw-2KXI/AAAAAAAABxs/NqEypdX-99w/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn9_4695.jpg" thumb="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSaw-2KXI/AAAAAAAABxs/NqEypdX-99w/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn9_4695.jpg"> I even threw in a couple layers of varying colors and textures <img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSaor_iQI/AAAAAAAABxk/Jz4FOMehW_o/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn10_4706.jpg" thumb="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSaor_iQI/AAAAAAAABxk/Jz4FOMehW_o/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn10_4706.jpg"> <img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSaa_GTUI/AAAAAAAABxc/mtP0STjvCQU/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn11_4720.jpg" thumb="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSaa_GTUI/AAAAAAAABxc/mtP0STjvCQU/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn11_4720.jpg"> <img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSZPzlE2I/AAAAAAAABxU/4MtND5LidGI/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn12_4725.jpg" thumb="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSZPzlE2I/AAAAAAAABxU/4MtND5LidGI/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn12_4725.jpg"> and sculpt a cob cornice at the top <img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSMn2OEfI/AAAAAAAABxM/FCw6AIcjX7M/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn13_4727.jpg" thumb="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSMn2OEfI/AAAAAAAABxM/FCw6AIcjX7M/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn13_4727.jpg"> <img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSLDb9ZpI/AAAAAAAABxE/TMqdGbAA__8/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn14_4868.jpg" thumb="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSLDb9ZpI/AAAAAAAABxE/TMqdGbAA__8/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn14_4868.jpg"> A huge light reflector serves as the roof and gives a 3" overhang around the whole thing. <img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSKqjZHoI/AAAAAAAABw8/GzmJbexCgZY/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn15_4865.jpg" thumb="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSKqjZHoI/AAAAAAAABw8/GzmJbexCgZY/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn15_4865.jpg"> It's located at the entry of the Garden of Earthly Delights, at the BRING Planet Improvement Center <img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSKO7dv4I/AAAAAAAABw0/xgA4TdGnX0c/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn16_4871.jpg" thumb="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSKO7dv4I/AAAAAAAABw0/xgA4TdGnX0c/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn16_4871.jpg"> and supports the beautiful reclaimed metal gate built by local metal sculptor, Jud Turner <img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSJzzgRBI/AAAAAAAABws/fT5jjTLMPOg/s1600/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn17_4729.jpg" thumb="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__8dbxhS6eos/TOlSJzzgRBI/AAAAAAAABws/fT5jjTLMPOg/s320/rammed%2Bearth%2Bcolumn17_4729.jpg">