Friday, November 16, 2007

re: straw bale homes

Not to rain on the nursery school rhyme parade, but I have a few minutes to kill before I haul out of here for happy hour... But isn't the logical choice of straw, wood, or bricks, going to be wood? Of course, I am assuming the properly designed wood structure would have the correct load path and uplift connections, clearly detailed for the same language speaking field framer. I am also assuming a single wythe brick construction with no grouted reinforcement. We know how that does in seismic and not much better in wind. Had the piggies had time to do double wythe brick with reinforcement, different scenario. But with the wolf on the way, permits were circumvented, uplift straps ommitted, no load path, improper or no nailing, and the Category 4 wolf winds brought it down.
 
Have a great weekend and Turkey Day next week, I have a Tucher with a slice of orange with my name on it!
 
Andrew Kester, PE
Principal/Project Manager
ADK Structural Engineering, PLLC
1510 E. Colonial Drive, Suite 301