[GSBN] Compression

[André de Bouter]

Hello Balers and Balesters,

The French SB Network is invited to participate in a testing program on 
loadbearing SB. We'd like to show that compressed unplastered SB walls 
can carry a decent load. Of course we know that this has been proven 
before, but hey, this is France, we have to prove that the same laws of 
physics and logic apply here as well, so that the French can accept it 
is true (you never know, eh? ;-).

The basic idea is that if we can show that such a wall is précompressed 
at, say, twice(?) the load it will carry in the future, it should be a 
safe bet that it will hold the future loads. I cannot yet explaine the 
details of what and how we want to test as they are not yet defined. 
We'd like to test unplasterd small, middle sized and big bale walls in 
order to mesure the ratio of reduced height relative to dry density of 
the bales and the applied compression.
a few plastered walls might be tested too.

I'm looking for is a cheap, secure and rapid way to compress the SB 
walls 'a whole lot', that can, preferably, be reproduced on building 
sites. And if possible in a way that one can predifine the compression 
load.
I found this pneumatic strapping device :
http://www.central-strapping.de/francais/arrimage/pneumatique/pneumocord.html
but it 'only' goes to 7500N (750kg - 1650 lbs)
I found straps that go 1170 kg - 2574 lbs
Comming acros this device I figured that compressing loadbearing walls 
would finaly become a controled piece of dense cake. But I wonder if 
this machine (for a 'mere' 2000€) has what it takes to compress enough.

We could also use mesuring devices under the straps, (maybe cheaper) but 
probably finiky.

Have any of you have found the 'perfect', controlled, compression method 
yet?

Any suggestions on how much you would press the walls and how big a 
safety margin engineers, building officials and builders insurance (our 
biggest hurdle in France) would consider ok?
Our starting point is to convince that a SB wall can carry 500kg (1100 
lbs) per meter of wall (about 3 feet). Does a compression of 700kg - 
1550 lbs 'impress'? or should the margin be much higher?

Cheers,
André - squeezit - de Bouter
-- 
*La Maison en Paille*

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Rue des Chaumes, Les Pellières, 16120 ST-SIMEUX

05 45 66 27 68
contact at lamaisonenpaille.com
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