Instant Buildings - Just Add Water 519
lawrencekhoo writes "Wired has an article about the newly invented
Building in a Bag. The structure is made from cement impregnated fabic, that is sealed in an easily transportable plastic bag. You literally just add water, and then inflate. Twelve hours later, you have a ready to use building. Possible uses include shelter for disaster areas, and instant field hospitals."
Time to advance. (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Time to advance. (Score:2)
What's not to like? (The cost?) (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:What's not to like? (The cost?) (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:What's not to like? (The cost?) (Score:5, Funny)
Re:What's not to like? (The cost?) (Score:5, Interesting)
Building sterility shouldn't be a problem. If you deliver it with precompressed gas in a bottle, no need to start a compressor either. Once again, armies will love that - silent construction.
I wonder if it could be placed directly underground thru narrow shaft (or, underwater, if attached to heavy anchoring weight?) and expand by supplying enaugh pressure from the surface? You get instant underground/underwater bases (i.e. on other planets as well)
Other modified uses for this technology I can think of:
Re:Time to advance. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Time to advance. (Score:5, Insightful)
Unfortunately, there's this stigma of "prefab housing" being small, low-quality, one-design "housing for the poor". It's kind of annoying seing such stereotypes standing in the way of progress to cheaper, higher quality housing. I mean, large buildings have been shifting a lot more to automated construction, and houses lend themselves even more readily to it because the sections are smaller and easier to transport.
Re:Time to advance. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Time to advance. (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Time to advance. (Score:2)
Re:Time to advance. (Score:4, Interesting)
It all depends on the finishing contractor. Modular housing is built to the same standards as regular housing, but if you have a crappy contractor come in to do the finish work, you might as well have bought a trailer. Just like regular construction, you have to really stay on top of the process (e.g., visit the site, double check things after important milestones, etc.)
Re:Time to advance. (Score:5, Interesting)
Brick is unsafe in Earthquake Country (Score:3, Insightful)
but how..... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:but how..... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:but how..... (Score:5, Interesting)
I've seen several pictures of those mass-built concrete houses that various aid agencies have built in earthquake-hit parts of Iran to provide shelter and make it so that the locals won't get killed in the next quake. Nobody was living in any of them - instead, they used them to hold their livestock. Apparently they were a lot more uncomfortable to live in than traditional housing in the climate (in addition to being an eyesore).
I can see it all now... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I can see it all now... (Score:5, Funny)
Thousands of refugees adding water and ingesting their "building in a bags" thinking they were MRE's.
That's an easy fix - put the buildings in round packages and the MREs in square ones. What could possibly go wrong.
Re:I can see it all now... (Score:5, Funny)
Cartoon? (Score:3, Funny)
Tom eats the house-in-a-bag thinking it's an MRE. A couple of seconds later, he balloons into a massive house-shaped cat (or a catskin house?!)
After a short pause, a chimney pops out of his ear.
Yeah, it has to be a real chimney. This is Tom and Jerry we're talking about here, folks.
I have a "better" idea... or at least different (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:I have a "better" idea... or at least different (Score:5, Informative)
Would make a good mother-in-law house, though - what better way to "cement" a relationship than with a load of flammable epoxy ...
Re:I have a "better" idea... or at least different (Score:2, Insightful)
Obligatory (Score:3, Funny)
Bread! Apples! Uh, very small rocks!
Re:I have a "better" idea... or at least different (Score:4, Insightful)
Also, when wood is under compression, it's a LOT harder to ignite. Take a look at any older (+75 years) building after a fire - the wood main beams will be charred, but probably not burnt through, whereas steel beams would have buckled under the heat.
Also, when fibreglass resin burns, the resulting fumes are more toxic.
Re:I have a "better" idea... or at least different (Score:5, Informative)
Your observation is right, but the reason is different. When a thick beam starts to burn, the charcoal that forms itself on the outside will start to protect the inner wood from burning, as soon as it is more then 5 cm / 2 inches thich. Charcoal is funny enough a fire retardent.
As an example, in most (probably all) countries, steel structures must be protected against fire, which is normally done with plaster, concrete, etc. However, at least in Holland, the building code allows you to wrap the steel in 5 or more cm of wood instead.
So back to your 75+ year old house. What protects those beams against the fire is the fact that the pieces of wood used are much thicker than the current 2x6 studs. Or the current "construction beams" that are just strips of plywood with some wood laminated at the ends.
Re:I have a "better" idea... or at least different (Score:5, Informative)
Concrete just happens to be very effective at handling compressive loads, and when reinforced with steel rebar or the like, can handle tensile loads in a reasonable manner as well. This is probably the reason that cement is used in lieu of epoxies and other plastics - it has better load-bearing characteristics under compression.
but then they couldn't win the prize (Score:5, Interesting)
There is also the issue of wind. I'm sure concrete structures don't blow away as easily, and many disaster areas are going to have lots of wind and water. Plus, concrete doesn't need to dry to set. Apparently it sets up quite nicely underwater.
My father has been building unique houses for about thirty years. One was an earth-covered house ("underground" is a bit misleading, but that's what I would normally call it) and he's been looking into a very modular building material called 3-D Panel [panelcrete.ca] which is basically styrofoam between wire meshes. After you assemble the building, using rebar or something to connect wire meshes together, you spray it with shotcrete [cement.org], and you're done. I mean, if we're allowed to have a spraying apparatus, why not? The specs for this panel system are impressive. They say the insulating value is R-18 to R-33--better than the new homes they throw up these days in my neighborhood.
A housing solution for slashdotters (Score:5, Funny)
Re:A housing solution for slashdotters (Score:5, Funny)
I'm sad to say my first reaction to reading this, "No, it won't. Didn't you read the article." This stuff is very thin and once dry it wouldn't absorb much RF. It only took another second for me to realize it was a joke. Anyway, don't most Slashdotters want to block all RF from leaving their domicile? If I want to receive RF, I'll put up a Pringles can.
reminds me of a t-shirt I once had.... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:reminds me of a t-shirt I once had.... (Score:2)
Great! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Great! (Score:2, Funny)
Somewhere... (Score:5, Funny)
..Dr. Schlock just got a hard-on...
Transportable? (Score:5, Funny)
Do they come in multiple flavors, too?
Re:Transportable? (Score:4, Informative)
What do you add... (Score:4, Funny)
One drawback... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:One drawback... (Score:3, Insightful)
why the concrete? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:why the concrete? (Score:5, Insightful)
Ever pop a hole in a sidewalk?
Re:why the concrete? (Score:3, Insightful)
Which isn't to say that positive internal air pressure isn't an integral part of some earth-bound structures. Several large sports domes (the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY, for example) use positive intern
Re:why the concrete? (Score:2, Insightful)
Doorways? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Doorways? (Score:2, Informative)
This should be easy. The building is made of three components: an inner airtight layer, cloth, and concrete in the cloth. To make a door, you'd just have a section in which the inner layer wasn't covered by the cloth and concrete. You'd still be able to inflate the building, and when the concrete set you could cut through the uncovered inner layer with a knife to make a doorway.
How much if manufactured in China? (Score:4, Interesting)
I am thinking it would be a great way to help poor people in Third World countries have a cheap roof over their heads that is actually high quality. I can imagine a slum in Mumbai filled with thousands of these instant buildings. What are the economics and advantages of an instant building as replacement for flimsy shelters in slums across the world?
Re:How much if manufactured in China? (Score:2)
Re:How much if manufactured in China? (Score:2)
a slum is SUPPOSED to be flimsy (Score:3, Insightful)
further, the land that slums are on become more desirable as the city develops. which gives the impetus for the governments to move peop
Re:Response to local climate (Score:4, Interesting)
There are whole towns in Michoacan that are built of not much more than sticks. They're not much for privacy, but the breeze goes right through (a must for life in that area). If a Chubasco comes through, you just pick the sticks up, jam them back into the dirt, slap the tin siding back up as your roof, and you've rebuilt your house in a day.
The concrete dwellings down there don't fare nearly as well.
Military applications (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Military applications (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Military applications (Score:2)
Eventually -- maybe. But for now it is unlikely to be usable as a bunker, even if other military applications are possible -- the walls ought to be stronger than a tent's, for example.
Re:Military applications (Score:2)
Re:Military applications (Score:5, Funny)
real-time strategy games
Yeah... (Score:2, Funny)
Forgive me
Does that statement raise anyone else's eyebrows?
I don't think the military needs this (Score:5, Interesting)
"agencies" maybe, but the military already has a way to erect shelters quickly: lots and lots of man power. Ever watched how quickly soldiers setup and take down a camp?
Spelling and grammar troll (Score:5, Interesting)
The English language has some rules about the correct placement of commas in a sentence. It's not a case of "Instant grammar just, add commas!!!1"
May I take this opportunity to recommend Lynne Truss's "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" to the author of the above summary?
Oh, and the word you were looking for was F-A-B-R-I-C, fabric; not fabic. Fabic sounds like an eastern-european football player.
</rant>
Re:Spelling and grammar troll (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Spelling and grammar troll (Score:3, Insightful)
However, as someone who speaks 4 languages, may I say that I very much appreciate grammar nazis. Of course it depends on the delivery -- if the post simply ridicules the parent's english and makes no attempt to correct or explain his mistakes, then it is worth less than the space it takes up. If, however, the delivery is
*Second* prize? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:*Second* prize? (Score:5, Informative)
First prize of £3,000 went to Il Hoon Roh for his reinforced concrete organic modular system that impressed the judges for its visually exciting construction potential. The second prize of £2,000 was awarded to Peter Brewin and Will Crawford for their joint entry of portable emergency concrete tents. The humanitarian potential of this entry was very evident. Phoebe Cummings and Stine Vesperson were awarded the third prize of £1,000 for their delicate pieces that combined lace with concrete. The effect gave concrete, usually seen to be a robust material, a more soft and fragile character.
Picture goodness (Score:3, Informative)
Oh, and under gallery 2004, there is a pdf of the top contenders with discussions of the philosophies behind their works.
Prefab shelters? (Score:2)
Cheers,
Adolfo
bah! (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:bah! (Score:2)
This product will soon be acquired by Acme Co. (Score:5, Funny)
Mark my words!
fabic (Score:2, Funny)
No thanks. I will stick with bicks and concete.
technique used for several decades now (Score:5, Informative)
Have a look at Domtec [domtec.com] and Binishells [sfgate.com].
Re:technique used for several decades now (Score:3, Interesting)
The Domtec construction [domtec.com] isn't all that bad, but it can't be done with just a fire hose. If you're hundreds or thousands of miles from the nearest contractor, you need something that will do that work for you.
Mal-2
Yes this will work wonders in disasters (Score:2, Insightful)
Better yet, let's just throw thousands of these bags in the ocean and create an underwater city instantaneously!
Use Seament instead of cement - mineral acretion (Score:3, Interesting)
Better yet, let's just throw thousands of these bags in the ocean and create an underwater city instantaneously!
Excess water would probably yield very poor quality concrete and ocean currents would probably wash the concrete away before it set. Also, the baloons would need to be well anchored or they would float to the surface.
Another technique for this (although not as quick) is to just deploy a metal mesh (think window screen size). Then you apply electricity to the mesh and the minerals in sea
Where can you buy? (Score:2)
Truly portable? (Score:2)
Also, I wonder if there are some possibilities for using this process to aid in offworld habitat construction like on mars. This could save a lot of space on a shuttle.
I can't be the only one... (Score:3, Funny)
The real question slashdotters are asking (Score:2, Funny)
For the dehydrated (Score:2)
Just the thing... (Score:3, Funny)
Well, except for the weight...
Where do you get the water? (Score:5, Insightful)
What about areas where the problem is they have no water? Just some thoughts..
Re:Where do you get the water? (Score:3, Interesting)
Using contaminated water in a concrete structure is probably not going to be a problem, because you aren't going to ingest it. Drinking even very s
Re:Where do you get the water? (Score:5, Funny)
Reminds me of something Bill Moss once showed me (Score:3, Interesting)
Anyhow, he showed me this invention he had, it looked like one of those tiny bicycling or backpacking tents, but it was made of cleverly prestressed and folded cardboard. Basically it folded flat, then instantly popped up into a small shelter. It bulged in the middle and had a small hole in one end you crawled through. It wouldn't be much of the shelter, but it could make the difference between freezing to death and surviving. He had designed it to address the problem of homeless people dying of hypothermia on cold nights in the city. You could pile hundreds of them in the back of pickup, and since they were basically cleverly designed cardboard boxes it would cost next to nothing.
In any case, I don't think it ever went into production, possibly becasue it may not have made enough of a difference to be worthwhile. But it was an interesting idea, cleverly executed.
University of Manitoba (Score:3, Informative)
The natural tension geometries given by formwork fabrics simplify the production of lightweight, high efficiency structural shapes. The formworks themselves are extraordinarily light and very inexpensive. The flexibility of a fabric formwork membrane makes it possible to produce a multitude of architectural and structural designs from a single, reusable mold. The use of permeable formwork membrane fabrics produces improved surface finishes and strength as a result of a filtering action allowing air bubbles and excess mix water to bleed through the formwork membrane.
I saw examples at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. last summer and was impressed by the smooth finish of the cement surfaces and also the potential to create very elaborate, beautiful and sturdy structures using really really cheap fabric casings. These new approaches to housing construction are not trivial.
The bigger question is... (Score:3, Insightful)
This is great news... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Pretty soon (Score:2, Funny)
Hey, if people will pay for water in bottles, who knows
Re:Pretty soon (Score:2)
Just use a LaserJet recycle label (Score:3, Funny)
Works like a charm.
I've used it to get rid of old car batteries too!
Re:Issues with Disposal (Score:2)
Re:Issues with Disposal (Score:5, Interesting)
However, if that's not good enough for you, you can do as we do with our waste wet concrete. Expose it to acid (muratic acid, for example), and it will break down faster.
But for me?
I rather suspect that this stuff would be good for burying in the ground, covering with dirt, and planting grapevines over it.
Re:Instant water (Score:2)
Really, I don't see the problem here.
Re:Quite a haul (Score:3, Funny)
You're in the jungle (US Army) and you're carrying your 500lb base camp on your shoulders. With 30 miles of walking remaining, it starts to rain...
Who the hell cares...you can carry 500lbs!!11
Re:Strength? (Score:2)
I wonder what the next step will be - taking advantage of local aggregate as well, so that you only have to have cement in the bag? Something like that would be interesting for moon/mars bases, although you probably wouldn't want a water/concrete mix, especially for the moon which lacks water in most (if not all) places. Perhaps using a powdered epoxy and liquid ca
Re:Strength? (Score:3, Informative)
It's reinforced by the fabric. In any case if properly designed and erected the load will be entirely compressional.
> I wonder what the next step will be - taking
> advantage of local aggregate as well, so that
> you only have to have cement in the bag?
You don't use aggregate for this sort of thing.
Re:Anyone got an image? (Score:4, Informative)
The model: http://www.wired.com/news/images/full/642_f.jpg [wired.com]
Re:Minor details... (Score:5, Informative)
Uh yeah, or maybe some random guy on the internet who has never actually laid eyes on the thing isn't the leading expert in how it works. I'm just, you know, tossing that out there. No offense, I'm just saying..
It's fabric drenched in cement. I don't know how much cement you've laid, but I've laid quite a lot. Reinforced concrete is a modern marvel - literally. I believe The Discovery Channel has an episode of Modern Marvels specifically about concrete.
By the way, which weighs more, 500 lbs. of feathers or 500 lbs. of lead? Guess how much a 98 lb. bag of concrete weighs. Guess how much that 98 lbs. of concrete weighs after you use it to impregnate a piece of fabric? I'll answer the next one myself: What do you call a piece of fabric impregnated with 98 lbs. of concrete? Reinforced concrete.
So my take on this is that they're making a very thin shell of concrete, much like you're traditional paper mache, except far more durable. It probably wouldn't survive the erosion of a few heavy rains, but if you crashed a car into it, it would crumple but not be demolished.
I KNOW that somewhere I've seen someone else constructing buildings with this inflation method but I can't recall where. Maybe it was grain storage sheds or something. Anyway, reinforced concrete is truly remarkable - if this stuff made a shell 1/4" thick, you could bust it up with a hammer or a baseball bat but it would take you all day to actually tear the thing down. The cool thing about reinforced concrete is that it doesn't really matter if you crack it. You end up with two pieces of concrete that are bonded by the reinforcement so tightly that the crack is inconsequential. Adjust that concept for 1000 cracks or thin sheets of concrete, but the principle still holds.
Re:Minor details... (Score:3, Interesting)
The intention of reinforced concrete is that the tensile strength / structure of the piece is actually reinforced by something - http://www.google.com/search?q=define%3A+reinforc e d+concrete
"Concrete that is strengthened by the insertion of rods of steel, wire mesh or strands of glass reinforced plas
Re:what about tents? (Score:5, Insightful)
> up in just a few minutes!
Never actually lived in a tent, have you? Do you like dry feet? Not having your home blow away?
> Are these thing sturdier?
Much, much sturdier.
> Lighter?
Much heavier. That's a _plus_.