[Greenbuilding] Tornado Shelter

[Stephen Collette]

Straw bale construction can be very durable and survive such intense  
weather. They have been through them all. More importantly it's how  
you tie them to the foundation and how you tie the roof on.

Berming works really well for a protective building. Berm the north  
side for insulative improvement, and some southern windows as well,  
(small and with covers) and you have a nice little garden shed/ 
greenhouse/tornado space. With the berm, it makes it easier to move  
into a green roof for sure. You could probably get some recycled  
concrete blocks or something for the berm wall. You could use tires  
even (earthships style)

As for cordwood or stackwall, yup, it will hold, but it's really,  
really time consuming construction. If you have the time, it's bomb  
proof and can be very pretty. It's also stupid cheap.

I'm not in tornado country (may change with global warming) so I  
can't really give you an answer on that,, but I would try local  
building officials as to what may be required by code in your area.  
I'm sure there are others on this list who would know more about that.

The bottom line is any decent construction, natural or stick frame  
could work, but it's how they all connect that is more important than  
anything.

Stephen

Stephen Collette B.B.E.C
Principal

Your Healthy House
Indoor Environmental Inspections & Building Consulting
www.yourhealthyhouse.ca
stephen at yourhealthyhouse.ca
705.652.5159


>
> I want to build a garden shed that can double as a tornado shelter.
>
> I have read that ICF works great, but what about ICF.  Isn't this a
> petroleum based product?
>
> Then there's concrete.  It seems aerated concrete may not be strong
> enough to withstand large flying debris.
>
> What about Faswall and/or strawbale for shelters.  I like the idea of
> having steel running through the buffering agents for strength.  With
> Faswal you get that inner concrete skeleton.  I could use flyash in  
> that
> concrete.
>
> What about cordwood?  I thought perhaps building a steel framework,
> filling in with cordwood, then clamping a steel beam along the top of
> the wall (forget the term for that beam).
>
> I had even looked ito a monolithic concrete poured dome, but I really
> don't have enough space if I also want to install shelved, etc. for my
> books, etc.
>
> What about a roof system?
> I had thought the steel frame could be bolted to concrete footers,
> extend up through the frame and through the roof to hold the roof on
> (instead of a roof just being tacked onto the top).  The roof would  
> not
> have overhangs (any windows would have their own overhang).  How  
> about a
> sod roof?
>
> Of course earth shelters are cool, but I don't have tons of space.  I
> could bank up earth on two sides.  What walls are best to support
> banking of earth?
>
> So many questions....
>
> Elizabeth M. Seiler
>
>
>
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> End of Greenbuilding Digest, Vol 7, Issue 17
> ********************************************