Earthquake-resistant housing design

Patrick L. Pierquet (mailto:Patrick.L.Pierquet-1@TC.UMN.EDU)
Sun, 29 Oct 1995 09:06:44 -0600

Message-ID:  <30939882077c002@gold.tc.umn.edu>
Date:         Sun, 29 Oct 1995 09:06:44 -0600
From: "Patrick L. Pierquet" <mailto:Patrick.L.Pierquet-1@TC.UMN.EDU>
Subject:      Earthquake-resistant housing design
To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>

I am a new grad student in our Building Science program, and am especially
interested in lowcost, selfhelp construction techniques.  I recently came across
an article in "Appropriate Technology" magazine, which described a system called
"Improved Quincha Construction".  This is apparently a refinment of the old
"wattle and daub" system of building houses, and it results in houses that are
quite earthquake-resistant.  Does anyone have any more information on this
building technique?  I'd like to make a scale-model of this, for a course I am
currently taking.

Also, does anyone know where I can purchase some "rice-husk ash"? It is said to be an environmentally-friendly substitute for portland cement. I'd like to do some experimentation with this material.