Superadobe & Earthbags - What Is Superadobe? Superadobe (sandbag and barbed wire) technology is a large, long adobe. It is a simple adobe, an instant and flexible line generator. It uses the materials of war for peaceful ends, integrating traditional earth architecture with contemporary global safety requirements. Long or short sandbags are filled with on-site earth and arranged in layers or long coils (compression) with strands of barbed wire placed between them to act as both mortar and reinforcement (tension).
Stabilizers such as cement, lime, or asphalt emulsion may be added. This patented and trademarked (U.S. patent #5,934,027, #3,195,445) technology is offered free to the needy of the world, and licensed for commercial use. This concept was originally presented by architect Nader Khalili to NASA for building habitats on the moon and Mars, as “Velcro-adobe”. Cal-Earth believes that the whole family should be able to build together, men and women, from grandma to the youngest child. Safety Standards and Comfort. Earthbag Construction.
EarthBag Homes - you're standing on the building materials... earthbag home Long sandbags are filled on-site and arranged in layers or as compressed coils. Stabilizers such as cement, lime, or sodium carbonate may be added to an ideal mix of 70% sand, 30% clay. Straw may also be added. The earthbags are then plastered over with adobe. Arquitectura en Equilibrio (Architecture in Balance) flickr.com earthbag home Plastic bags recycled into plastic bags -- if plastic does not break down for a thousand years, this building is sure to last several lifetimes.
Of course covered with adobe or plaster, so that the plastic does not offgas or degrade. Earthbag construction Foundations differ as per site. Earthbag construction The time consuming part, filling the bags. Earthbag construction Testing the strength of an arch. Earthbag home Project Seres, Guatemala. projectseres.org, flickr.com earthbag home CalEarth -- Emergency Shelter Village, Hesperia, California.
CalEarth Vault under construction. Soil Tests For Earthbag Building (PDF) Maison en Sac de Terre (earthBag) Beyond 90 Degrees with Earthbags. Earthbag Natural Building. Toutes les tailles | IMG_2538-w. Earthbag Construction.