[Cob] Back to superadobe

[Patrick Newberry]

<snip>
* How does a person get a building permit for a earth-walled structure?
(I 
suppose that several of you have experience with this...)
</snip>
<reply>
The process of getting a permit varies from state to state from county
to county. Nader Kahlili had built permited houses and has
specifications which can be used to support your permit request.

http://www.calearth.org/

Any super adobe I've built here in Georgia was built in my county prior
to building codes being enacted. 
</reply>


<snip>
* How does a Superadobe structure respond to a wet environment (rainy or

built in a moist place)?
</snip>
<reply?
Pure non-stablized superadobe (like a dome or vault) will colapse after
a certain amount of rain. I had a vault collapse after about a week of
slow drizzle. Use of stablized or cement plasted on the outside (aka the
Roof) works pretty well. 
Also using the more of cob like approach as in give it a good pair of
shoes and a good hat then the rain is also less of an issue.
</reply>


<snip>
* What kind of foundation does it use?
</snip>
<reply>
Superadobe that is stablized. That means mixing in some cement with the
soil before packing it in the bags. Super adobe is really closer to
rammed earth than to cob. 
</reply>


<snip>
* What is the lifespan of a superadobe structure?
</snip>
<reply>
Since the structure itself is earth, it would be like asking what is the
lifespan of cob. So a lot of factors creep in like exposure to weather
etc. Longer than I'll be around that's for sure :-)
</reply>


<snip>
* Is there a comprehensive source of superadobe information (book,
video, 
guide, etc.) I can use to find answers so I don't have to be bothering
you 
about it :) ?
<snip>
<reply>
 Kaki Hunter and Doni Kiffmye may have some stuff out, but I don't have
any links or know that for sure. 
 Here are some old photos. http://users.pstel.net/goshawk/other.htm


Nader at Cal Earth of course, but not even sure what he is doing these
days.  He seems to have some video's out. You'll find most earth
building techniques are not all that difficult to learn. I mean it ain't
rocket science and to me that's the beauty of it. 

</reply>

L&L
Pat Newberry
www.gypsyfarm.com