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Post by johhna99 on Apr 11, 2017 12:17:36 GMT 10
I'm thinking about a completely subterranean earthbag home. I need drawings and ideas for a roof. It's not a conventional round home plan. More of a bunker style home. Any help is appreciated.
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shinester
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Post by shinester on Apr 11, 2017 13:02:32 GMT 10
Why earth bag when you're already in dirt? Here's a guy who did a similar thing, living for decades underground, 'earth sheltered' if you like, as well as some interesting ideas as drainage is your biggest issue with anything under ground. I've got some of his other material out of interest, though this would give you an introduction. Note the heavy logs in effect pushing against the side walls, my understand is that's very important when underground.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2017 14:25:44 GMT 10
Hi I think all preppers contemplate a underground bunker or dwelling, I know I have. I have also considered where, as I feel it would be best to build a bunker in hilly country in the side of a hill so as to be able to use free fall drainage.
I would be inclined to start with an excavator and dig out the side of a hill so the soil can be put back. The Americans puzzle me as most of their bunkers have outward opening doors....great for getting trapped in! Start then by laying in drain pipes that can provide a dry area for your construction. Don't use a shipping container, as the information going around out there is the sides don't really take well to side loading stresses. I think just good solid concrete walls with lots of rheo bar in them is the best option, and possibly of similar cost...your bunker roof is possible best as a concrete slab on I beam supports. Don't forget to make a location that can be used for an alternative exit, even if you leave the actual digging until it is required. Ventilation is always and issue in a confined space....I would suggest you use largish gate valves that can be closed etc.
I never proceeded with a underground bunker as I'm never sure of what sort of event I'm prepping for, Im sure if I built a bunker the event would be; sea level rises, floods or tsunami.
So before you start are you sure you are not locking yourself into only one type of SHTF event that does not fit all your needs.
Good luck and keep us posted even if you don't go ahead.
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Post by Pasta Deefa on Apr 11, 2017 17:53:09 GMT 10
I'd go with vaulted steel beams like this old mate.
Steel is cheap, easy to work with, and I imagine it would give you better load carrying than wooden telephone poles and such. The curve will transfer the weight into the walls and is reminiscent of the Blitz era Anderson Shelters.
Personally, I live in an area where flooding could be an issue so I'm going to build a Boer war era pepper pot block house with an upgraded, cyclone proof, roof structure. They are cheap, easy, and will give you plenty of protection against most threats.
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token
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Post by token on Apr 11, 2017 19:57:47 GMT 10
I will be building one on my block in future, purely for a fire retreat, so its going to have some extra needful aspects. Otherwise it will be stocked with food and all the necessities.
I really like the ability to keep things cool in high temps.
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Post by Pasta Deefa on Apr 12, 2017 11:48:38 GMT 10
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token
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Post by token on Apr 13, 2017 5:19:56 GMT 10
Yes its a worthy point to make, but i dont believe one has to fork out that type of cash. I would like to see the figures on just how many people died in what they call 'home made fire shelters', it could have been a couple of folk or someone bolting to an above ground shipping container that they thought represented a fire shelter, then again i could be incorrect. This is why i stated that it will have some extra needful aspects. Breathing apparatus will oxygen flow is a must regardless imo also. You can shut out the fire but smoke has a way of finding its way unfortunately.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2017 21:59:47 GMT 10
When I looked into underground shelters or bunkers, I really felt there was not much point unless you can make it air tight, so should the need arise you can.
I planned on having bottled oxygen and building a hydrated lime CO2 scrubber. The moment you think about doing an air supply like that it though it becomes a pandoras box with all sorts of traps. I'm talking about the flash point at which most combustibles ignite, it changes as a the oxygen level goes up....get it wrong and paint fumes, cooking oil vapors will spontaneously combust along with you. Go the other way and you fall asleep never to wake up! So if you do consider being air tight and having an air supply, you would need to go the next step beyond where I gave up, and look seriously at instrumentation for CO2 and Oxygen level.
Good luck with it.
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spatial
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Post by spatial on Apr 14, 2017 3:06:43 GMT 10
When I looked into underground shelters or bunkers, I really felt there was not much point unless you can make it air tight, so should the need arise you can. I planned on having bottled oxygen and building a hydrated lime CO2 scrubber. The moment you think about doing an air supply like that it though it becomes a pandoras box with all sorts of traps. I'm talking about the flash point at which most combustibles ignite, it changes as a the oxygen level goes up....get it wrong and paint fumes, cooking oil vapors will spontaneously combust along with you. Go the other way and you fall asleep never to wake up! So if you do consider being air tight and having an air supply, you would need to go the next step beyond where I gave up, and look seriously at instrumentation for CO2 and Oxygen level. Good luck with it. In underground mines it is a legal requirement to have rescue chambers. They have external O2 and water supply as well as emergency internal supply. There is a O2 candle that one can burn that gives of oxygen. The mine rescue chambers are very expensive There are plenty of decommissioned ones around that could easily be refurbished- have thought of getting one but have not gone so far are looking at price. I remember the guys last year cleaning out a one of the rescue chambers which are portable steel constructs on skids that can be dragged around, they had bucket loads of CO2 absorbing granules that still had more than 6 months before expiry but they ended up in the bin. I very nearly took them home. Even if they are only 50% effective after expiry then still very useful. To me a bunker is very useful for natural events like storms and earthquakes, if military attack like bombing or nuclear fall out, good place to quarantine if a plague/epidemic. There will be bio-engineered plagues let loos as part of ww3. Bunkers are good for food storage and preservation as much more constant temperature, also the preps are hidden away out of site. My entire house is full of stuff it is one of the first things that my children friends pick up when visiting. If the bunker is well hidden, and your neighbourhood is overrun one can just evacuate and return when the invaders have moved on.
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spatial
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Post by spatial on Apr 14, 2017 3:30:17 GMT 10
I'd go with vaulted steel beams like this old mate. Steel is cheap, easy to work with, and I imagine it would give you better load carrying than wooden telephone poles and such. The curve will transfer the weight into the walls and is reminiscent of the Blitz era Anderson Shelters. Personally, I live in an area where flooding could be an issue so I'm going to build a Boer war era pepper pot block house with an upgraded, cyclone proof, roof structure. They are cheap, easy, and will give you plenty of protection against most threats. Love the British way of doing things. Yes meteorite bombardment is a very realistic scenario.
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