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Feasibility of translating earthships in Africa and future design considerations
Abstract
Earthships are passive solar buildings with renewable power, water harvesting, and sewage systems, designed to be off grid with minimal reliance on public utilities, and use recycled and natural materials. Due to high initial capital cost and resources needed, earthships have primarily been implemented in developed countries. However, the self-sufficiency earthships offer through their subsystems presents an opportunity for resource-constrained environments. Three earthship projects have been developed in Africa, each serving a unique purpose and overcoming different obstacles. Through earthship design principles, technical reports, and lessons learned from each project, this paper aims to outline design considerations for those who are interested in implementing an earthship in Africa.
... Ekvall [152] highlighted the need for further research in order to evaluate the construction feasibility depending on the location. Nabahe [153] pointed out the need for a large amount of materials, which can be a difficult task in less-industrialized countries (above all in rural sites due to transport issues). Further studies are still needed, in particular to determine the application behavior under static and dynamic loadings. ...
The mechanical properties of waste tires make them an interesting secondary raw material for a wide range of civil engineering applications. Employing whole scrap tires (WSTs) and low-processed scrap tires (LPSTs, i.e. scrap tires that have not been processed by industrial machineries) as a repurposed construction material is a high-value recovery option that requires less resources and energy than recycling. Researchers and practitioners around the world have been able to develop a significant number of innovative and promising WST and LPST applications, particularly for disaster risk reduction (DRR) projects and in vulnerable communities with limited resources. This paper provides a literature review of the current state of the art for the use of WST and LPST in civil engineering applications (CEAs) within the context of DRR. Four main categories of CEAs have been identified according to the primary function of the scrap tire applications presented: earth retaining structures, seismic retrofitting applications, load-bearing elements, and drainage systems. The available studies have been organized, classified and discussed in order to take stock of a heterogeneous field of research and highlight areas where further research is needed.
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