Canvas Made of Concrete - you can create "buildings in a bag"...

[Are_grits_groceries]

The fiber is impregnated with concrete; it only hardens when you add water. Thus, you can create "buildings in a bag"...


The first stage: Roll out...


...forming the canvas...


...and bingo, add water for a concrete building that can be erected almost as quick as a tent. The applications abound, from food storage in disaster areas, to military barracks.

http://www.fastcompany.com/pics/fishing-rods-carrot-sticks-and-canvas-made-concrete-seven-amazing-materials?slide=7

This could be very useful.

[midnight]

1. Fascinating idea. Brilliant actually.

[tridim]

2. I had a similar idea years ago using inflatable shells and expandable foam.

This idea seems much more realistic though.

[dgibby]

3. Excellent idea!

Where do you find all this stuff. You never cease to amaze me with your posts.

[Are_grits_groceries]

10. Just traveling through the interwebs.

I've got a list of sites I check all the time. Some are science and technical sites. Ideas like this always interest me. My list has a little bit of everything.

[SoCalDem]

4. Sounds a lot like the old fashioned casts they used to put on frantured limbs

plaster impregnated gauze.. very similar:)

[buddysmellgood]

5. Very cool!

[druidity33]

6. similar to ferrocement...

though much more usable. Ferrocement involves a spray system and layers of wire/support. How well does it hold up to weather? Up here in the North East, cement has a tendency to weather poorly. Repeated drenching and drying as well as wide ranges in temp have a habit of cracking and splitting.

great idea though...

K&R.

[krispos42]

7. Here's the company's website

According to them, you can then bury the hut in dirt (or, I suppose, erect it in a ditch and then fill it in) and it won't collapse. And the canvas is lined with plastic on the inside of the shelter so it's waterproof and steril.

Comes in two sizes, 24m² and 54m². The small one weights about 2 tons on arrival, the bigger one weighs about 3 and a quarter tons. Easily movable by truck.



http://www.concretecanvas.co.uk/21AboutCCS1.html

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. Wowser....

K&R

[Sinti]

9. Awesome - and blessedly bulletproof (wish it was bomb proof)

I'd personally rather live in something like this one, though.


http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/Earthbag-Building-Garden-Shed.aspx

Yes, I would become a Hobbit.

[dgibby]

12. Looks like this one could be modified to suit your hobbity needs! n/t

[Liberal_in_LA]

11. great idea

[MilesColtrane]

13. Instant tornado shelter!

Global warming's going to make that guy rich.