[GSBN] Help us help in Haiti

[Graeme North]

Hi Bruce - 

we have found the addition of cellulose fibre - ie used paper pulp - to be quite good for binding up silt in some clays and esp good for plaster- we get good increase in strength , durability,  and reduction of dustiness- its worth a try .

either newspaper or shredded office paper rolled around in a concrete mixer with lots of water for a while will mash it  - or mashing up in a bucket with water with a paint stirrer on the end of an electric drill is good - the pulp holds lots of water so then you get to hang it out to dry a but  - a sack is good for this

you may need to experiment with quantities but a good starting point is probably around one part clay/silt to around 1/4 - 1/3 part pulped paper - we have added even more sometimes.  



Other than that public execution at a cross road always brings in  a good crowd   



 
Graeme
Graeme North Architects
49 Matthew Road
RD1
Warkworth
tel/fax +64 (0)9 4259305
 
graeme at ecodesign.co.nz
www.ecodesign.co.nz


On 3/01/2011, at 10:46 AM, Bruce King wrote:

> 
> 
> Happy New Year, baleheads.
> 
> We have a lot of soil in Haiti that is rich in both clay and silt.  Easy enough to separate the sand and gravel, but we haven't figured out a good way to separate silt from clay.  So far we've tried:
> 
> 1) Asking nicely
> 2) Offering every silt particle a chance to win a Hawaiian dream vacation if it separates itself from the clay
> 3) Telling the silt that if it just leaves quietly now, no one will get hurt
> and, getting really hardball,
> 4) Hanging a few "example particles" of silt by their silica crystals in the public square, with warning notes attached.
> 
> Still no luck!  Anyone have a good low-tech field method for separation?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Bruce "Hang 'em High!" King_______________________________________________
> GSBN mailing list
> GSBN at greenbuilder.com
> http://greenbuilder.com/mailman/listinfo/GSBN