The entire Pakistan presentation, heartbreaking as well as inspiring, is hosted at this Shelter Center link
Ceramicrete is a brand name for phosphate base cement. I believe it is easy to make and attempted to obtain a production license with an idea of on site production by the almost half billion people who earn less than $1.00/day, or those struck by disaster, but was unsuccessful. Notice that any binder will work in the following presentation; pure cement, cement/acrylic or water proof glue as a binder with muslin strips all work greatÊ(Titebond is the least toxic glue brand I found to work with), even duct tape or wicker will do the job, depending slightly on what you are making.
Properties of Ceramicrete, also known as ceramic concrete, are from properties tables published by the Argonne National Laboratory. Ceramicrete is a phosphate base binder (MgKPO4). Ferroceramicrete is Fe2(HPO4)2 based. At this point, the phosphate binder is proven worthy for bamboo truss manufacture. Again, any binder will work. The series starts with a set up in the snow and ice because I have recently seen an inspiring presentation on the Shelter Center website, in Geneva. The frame wrap joints explained in this chapter will help in future situations like those faced in Pakistan, as well as for the hundreds of millions of shelters needed by the world's poor.
The first pictures are from the Pakistan presentation, they illustrate the range of problems and weather faced by the people in Pakistan after a devastating earthquake. The emergency in Pakistan is one reason why ferrocement.com is focused on innovative sheltering techniques and has joined a consortium and has begun a companion website at self-sheltering.org.
The entire Pakistan presentation, heartbreaking as well as inspiring, is hosted at this Shelter Center link
Now begin the wrap joint section with a contrasting view, January, 2008 at the ferrocement.com field test. Snow load is not a problem. At this juncture the hurdle is selecting a location for field tests and then implementing larger scale production. Ferrocement.com is currently advising on an experimental test roof in Thailand with hope the results will be available to share later this year.
Notice the curved lines at the bottom of the roof on the right, they are a result of shrinkage and hanging during construction, as seen in previous chapters. It is relevant for the independence of this chapter to note again that the rafters for this roof are 6.3 mm cotton rope (1/4"), spaced at 50 centimeters (20"). Notice that there is no support across the end of the larger roof, only the longer sides are supported. The angle brace is for the wall studs and has nothing to do with the roof test. The right side is supported by a wood rail attached to the fence with left over cotton rope, also in its third winter (faintly visible as a white vertical line under the near right corner.