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|Image:LM shade posts up.jpg|All posts are up | |Image:LM shade posts up.jpg|All posts are up | ||
|7|Once all the supporting posts are up and cemented into place, they are allowed to dry for several days before beginning construction. | |7|Once all the supporting posts are up and cemented into place, they are allowed to dry for several days before beginning construction. | ||
Image:Bamboo U Shape.jpeg|Bamboo Beams Installation | |||
|8|The tops of the bamboo columns are cut into a wide 'U' shape so that the bamboo beams cam be put into place. | |||
|Image:Bamboo Beams Installation.jpeg|Setting bamboo beams in place | |||
|9|Set the beams in place and drill holes in the bamboo to secure with wire (we also used 2x4 beams because we needed install corrugated zinc metal sheets on the roof). | |||
|Image:Bamboo concrete.jpeg |Bamboo, Concrete, & Rebar | |||
|10| After taking proper measurements for the location of your desired shade structure, cut bamboo to appropriate lengths. Make a concrete mixture to secure the poles into the ground surrounding the perimeter of the existing structure. Insert rebar into the center of the bottom culm and ensure that the concrete is inside the entire bottom culm. | |||
|Image:Bamboo Concrete and Rebar.jpeg | Secure bamboo with steel clamps | |||
|11|When concrete is in the entire bottom culm, fasten steel clamps around the diameter of the bamboo and leave to dry (may take several days). | |||
|Image:Bamboo holes.jpeg| Digging Holes | |||
|12|Dig holes that are wide enough and deep enough so that the bamboo poles will sit securely in the ground. | |||
|Image:Bamboo secured.jpeg | Fill holes with concrete | |||
|13|Fill holes with concrete and leave to dry for several days without disturbing the posts. (You may need to add supports on the side of the beams to prevent tilting). | |||
|Image:LM shade posts up.jpg|All posts are up | |||
|14|Once all the supporting posts are up and cemented into place, they are allowed to dry for several days before beginning construction. | |||
}} | }} | ||
Revision as of 17:29, 5 July 2014
Abstract
Background
The client at hand is the community of Las Malvinas in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. They have requested that a rain/shade structure be built by Practivistas Dominicana at their local community center (Estacion Ecological Comunitario) between May-July 2014. Three of the students working on the project are from Humboldt State University in California and one student from Universidad Iberoamericana in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. After a community meeting was held, it was determined that the structure should be able to protect from rain as well as sun so the community could hold meetings, classes and workshops in comfort. Community members voiced their opinions that aesthetics, durability, and locality of materials were some of their main concerns in regards to the construction of the structure. Bamboo and palm fronds are some of the possible local materials that could be utilized.
Building a Bamboo Shade Structure
These are the instructions for the assembly and construction of a bamboo shade structure designed by students enrolled in the Practivistas Dominicana Program in the Dominican Republic. The shade structure consists of bamboo, upcycled billboard tarps and flattened steel drums. Instructions are included below.
How To Build
Before building with bamboo, it is advised to research techniques and recommendations for appropriate season for harvesting as well as methods of harvesting and drying. (For our project we used bamboo that was still partially green which is not desirable but was necessary based on time and resource constraints).
Design
Costs
This is the proposed draft budget for the shade structure.
| Quantity | Material | Source | Cost (RD$) | Total (RD$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Recycled Billboards | Billboards 'R Us | 333.00 | 1,000.00 |
| 15 | Recycled 55gal Drums | Arroyo Norte | 300.00 | 4,500.00 |
| 1 | Tools | Nacional | 2,183.00 | 2,183.00 |
| 1 | TBD | Santo Domingo | 8000.00 | 8000.00 |
| Total Cost | $15,683.00 | |||
Discussion
The bamboo used during this construction was not fully dried or cured, so more preparation of the culms is highly more desirable. However, this structure is going to be secured using only lashing on the bamboo and not using nuts, bolts, or holes in the still drying bamboo. This type of securing will prevent cracking that would have occurred if hardware were to be used at the joints.
Next steps
Testing the bamboo for moisture content while watching its durability and strength over time to determine whether the drying time was sufficient or whether it was an issue in maintaining the integrity of the structure over time.
Conclusions
Conclusions to come
Contact details
Baron Creager : bmc83@humboldt.edu
Caitlin Faber : cjf336@humboldt.edu
Caelidh Liddell : crl307@humboldt.edu
Marjorie Casado : marjocalara@gmail.com