Cob: rock core cob wall

[ben graham]

This is a great idea ken.
You should check into the specifications of the "gabions", probably what you 
saw with the highway crews ,.  Ive also seen some articles about housing and 
outbuildings that have been designed this way.
Let me know what kind of metal they use.
   This would be a great way to build a wall of a house that is dug into a 
hillside as well.Not using so much concrete.

Thanks
Ben Graham


>From: "ken skeen" <kenskeen at hotmail.com>
>Reply-To: "ken skeen" <kenskeen at hotmail.com>
>To: coblist at deatech.com
>Subject: Cob: rock core cob wall
>Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2001 15:31:52 -0700
>
>
>I've a bunch of rock and was thinking of constructing a round cob structure
>with a rock core.  I'd make 2 perimeters of heavy-guage wire fencing -
>perhaps 2 to 3 feet apart and fill the interior with rubble.  Cross wire
>ties would be added every 8 inches or so to keep the fence from bowing out.
>I've see highway depts. do this sort of thing for retaining walls.  After I
>achieved height with this wall, I'd cob the interior and exterior with say
>2-4 inches of cob.  My goal with this structure is to not use concrete and
>make use of the rock resource.  When the building's life-span completes, 
>I'd
>(or somebody) would just recycle the wire and let the rest go back to the
>earth.  I'm thinkin the structure would also be somewhat earthquake
>resistant.  I'm curious what sort of insulation value a cob encased rubble
>wall would provide.  My main concern is that the wire would rust and the
>wall would fail.  I plan on giving this a shot at some point and would
>appreciate any comments.
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