What would your dream plan look like in geometry modeling on computer?

Ferrocement is an art form of tension and compression, blending advantages of stone and metal into imaginative, cost effective structure. (Structural plastics and many other additives are also finding their way into artful composites based on cements). Here are some pictures to convey what became imaginatively possible.

Quick, "how to solve models" via the www is offered freely as a public service, just ask! (As time permits).

Below: A Gothic X Arches (For better or worse called a Groin Vault.)

Major updates are occasionally added to this page.

An automated dream building method. Using software as form work for concrete.

Camera Lucida: This secret of the masters should work beautifully for sculptural concrete and ferrocement.

While scalloping uses more surface area, it also engenders a framing component. Shells are reinforced by the surface corrugation. More surface can mean more labor and material, but it does offer some strength advantages. Our world is improving tools to simplify curvilinear construction. It remains for individuals to support those efforts and "vote with the pocket book".

Here is a vault frame which can be made of reinforced concrete rings as framework. Clickhere for related idea.

A geodesic star pattern grid work which beautifully adapts to a dome form.Click here for other arch/ vault models. Several more examples in this series follow below...

Next (above), is a sea shell like cage design possibility. CAD, (design software) allows sculptors to access a wide array of geometrical tools to determine difficult reinforcement configurations and to develop methods for actual construction. Here is a link to ring reinforcement as a means to build highly curved structures. Although reinforcement rings are not easily- commercially available, a "one man" approach to study feasibility of rings is under way, slow but sure. Follow links on this website for much more on ring reinforcement and on single person methods for construction, (where hired labor cannot be afforded).

Next above is my effort with new software tools to explore curved geometry. More can be seen, click here.

Next (above), is a "castle shape" applied to tilt up concrete construction. Wall sections are shown which can be sand molded on the ground. Each undulation in the walls serves much like corrugation in card board, which produce a "space frame" to compound strength in a manner similar to studs in a wooden wall. These undulations also serve to stabilize the wall sections as thy are raised into place.

Above is a preliminary drawing for tilt up arch sections, (better drawings to follow).

In this purely hypothetical CAD model each arch has most surfaces at 1" thick with a gusset extending along the whole curved portion of arch, (itself 1" thick). All large surfaces have a slight ribbing to add strength at joining edges. The main span is 20 ft. Total wall/roof volume of each is about 9 cu ft., so wt is about 1170 lbs. If the straight wall sections are separated and poured flat on the ground, and also if the curved parts are poured on a sand pile/ mold... and all these are poured in one or two sessions, then ready mix might be used. Sand casting methods from ancient tech apply. A backhoe could be used to lift all pieces into place, (if safely managed by responsible operators). Is there a cement mix which will hold up during assembly and over life? Adding more weight would require a bigger backhoe and stronger safety measures.The total for a 20 X 20 ft building with wall at back, garage door openings at front could be as little as 120 cu ft., per inch of thickness.

Domes next....

Above is a basket weave , great circle, lamella cage, mostly in yellow. The green members show the relationship between the 2 angles used for weaving together the reinforcement members. The scale becomes important in visualization when doors and windows are cut out of a CAD model.

Referring to CAD data in the dome model above: about 20 ft diameter, with a slight extension out the front. For each inch of thickness, volume is near 88 cu ft., depending on details. (The top includes a 5 ft diameter sky light hole. The dome encloses minimal floor space, but will hold 2 reasonable vehicles.

Our FC forum friends on the FC network have wide experience with ferrocement, ferro-concrete and additional mathods. See examples. Here are some FC related link s...... http://www.geocities.com/flyingconcrete http://paisite.com/sunlife/index.htm http://www.ferrotanks.com

http://www.ferrocement.com/

http://www.ferrocement.net/ . http://sobolev.trancetechno.com/
http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/Forum/1657/Cement/high_performance_cement.html
http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/Forum/1657/

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Comments are invited. Consultancy or constructive cooperation is offered. These research reports are in the public domain and are furnished "as is". The author makes no warranty, express or implied, for any purpose. The author assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this research. Bo Atkinson, enersearch Tel : 207 342 5796 . . . (MaineUSA)

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