One of the main materials that Earthships are composed of are used car tyres. Once tyres have been pounded with earth they are resilient and malleable, as well as being fire proof, earthquake proof and hurricane proof. These characteristics make tyres a fantastic material for housing in Haiti, which is prone to both Earthquakes and Hurricanes. As well as being resilient, they are also in abundance, as car tyres don't go away. They don't rot, they don't burn well and they are constantly being produced!
POUNDING A TYRE:
Firstly you set your marker for the tyre wall you wish to create, and then level the ground. You then fill the bottom of the tyre with 2 layers of cardboard, so the earth wont fall out. You then pour earth into the tyre and start to "Hand Pack". This simply means moving the earth into the rim of the tyre with your hands, and you continue to do so until the rim of the tyre is fairly solid.
The next step is to use a sledge hammer to pound further earth into the tyre working in a circular motion to ensure even compaction. After the circumference of the tyre is sufficiently pounded and level with itself, you pound the middle of the tyre. Using vertical strokes with the hammer, pound the middle until you hear a dull "thud" sound. Add more earth and repeat until the middle of the tyre is level with the rim.
Tyre walls are time consuming, but with a group of people a lot can be accomplished in a day!
Good to see you've started your blog Luke :)
ReplyDeleteVery informative re working on the tyre walls, be interest to hear how they are built up, how high they can go, do you need a foundation base? and how they are finally covered etc. Also the construction of glass & can walls too! Take care. Dad Xxx.
Hi Ya Lukes.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear you're off to Haiti ! That will be really amazing :) Yep, interesting re water supplies, like many resources taken for granted things are going to be quite challenging in the years to come re 9 Billion people by 2050! Think you gotta build a lot of Earthships ! lol.
Take care & I hope the choc arrived ok ! Dad Xxx.
I was searching the internet for earthship pictures and found your picture of the you pounding tyres above.
ReplyDeleteI was searching because i am currently writing a lesson book for my students about earthships. In Holland there are virtually no study materials about environment friendly building. So to open the minds of my high school students i am writing it myself.
I would like to ask your permission to use te picture in my lesson book.
Of course i will attribute your name and send you a copy the finished book.
Kind regards
Henk Petter
henk.petter at live.nl