SB: RE: RE: did I miss something???

["David Wagner" <dwagner@sa.kevric.com>]

I apologize for what may have been an offensive tone, and hope y'all
can understand the frustration of having too much data without enough
wisdom.  Perhaps I can clarify.  I am not thinking of the dramatic
fungus-sprouting black goo kind of decomposition, but the gradual
decay of organic materials which, under ideal conditions can take
centuries, but eventually turns everything once living to dust.  I am
thinking of the wrappings of mummies, and parchment so brittle it
crumbles if touched; these are usually still in existence only because
they have been protected from shock and vibration.  Perhaps straw bale
wall plaster, especially when made of clay, also deforms over time,
slowly compressing with the bales so the load is still borne somewhat
by the straw on the foundation.  But how much load is in the
relatively rigid walls, and how much in the relatively springy straw?

Even ignoring chemical and biological activity, why would straw bale
walls behave differently from other containers filled with material?
Think of a box overfilled with packing peanuts so you have to compress
them somewhat to close the box.  The shaking and vibration in transit
settles the contents so when you open it, the contents no longer even
fill the box.  If you stand on the box, the load will be born by the
walls of the box, not by the packing material within.  Straw bale
walls are similarly shook, bent, and flexed slightly but repeatedly by
wind from outside and celebratory dancing and other activities within.

These are just the thought experiments of one bewildered mind trying
to build a home.  I hope someone who knows more about this will
present a position or point me to some data so I can refine my
understanding.

Many Thanks
-David

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Valle Kincaid [mailto:vkincaid@TreanorArchitects.com]
> Sent: Friday, September 28, 2001 10:35 AM
> To: 'strawbale@crest.org'
> Subject: SB: RE: did I miss something???
>
>
> i dunno.
> i mean sure straw compresses over time, but decompose?  i
> don't think so.
> if it does, you did something wrong.  it will only decompose
> if it gets wet
> and stays wet.  I suppose if you use a cement plaster inside
> and out and it
> cracks and water gets in, it can't breathe, therefore the
> straw gets wet and
> stays wet. Perhaps then it would decompose.....so just use
> earthen plaster
> or lime plaster and, poof, no decomposition.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jo Wilhelm [mailto:home_place@juno.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2001 8:41 AM
> To: strawbale@crest.org
> Subject: SB: did I miss something???
>
>
> I read this paragraph from David Wagner with a certain amount of
> incredulity.
>
> ""We do not know.  Diddly.  Only recently did we rediscover the
stucco
> is actually bearing most of the load as the straw distributes it.
In
> hindsight it is obvious; after the stucco hardens, straw continues
to
> compress and to slowly decompose while the stucco stays relatively
> rigid and bears more and more of the load.  Why is it disturbing we
> only recently rediscovered this?""
>
> It seems to fly in the face of all we have been able to ascertain
from
> the century old structures in Nebraska. Would anyone care to
> comment on
> this and fill me in if I've missed the reports that show me straw
> "continues to compress and slowly decompose......"
>
> TIA!
>
> JoMaMa
>
>
> Jo Wilhelm
> home_place@juno.com   830/868-7077 www.the-home-place.com
> Tours, workshops, seminars and speakers are all available
> from THE HOME
> PLACE-
> A sustainable living demonstration center in the hill country
> of central
> Texas.
>


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