Monolithic dome

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A monolithic dome (from Greek mono- and litic, meaning "one stone") is a cast structure in one-piece form. Forms may be permanent or temporary and may or may not remain part of the completed structure. The monolithic dome is a monolithic architectural form.

Video Monolithic dome

Histori

Igloo is probably the earliest form of a monolithic dome. While it is built from compressed snow blocks, these blocks melt and freeze again to form strong and homogeneous structures. The dome-like igloo shape shows two main advantages of dome-shaped structure: great strength, and good insulation. This strength is due to the natural strength of the arch, and the insulation is due to the minimal surface area of ​​the ball section.

The first modern monolithic dome structure was built in Provo, Utah and opened in 1963 as an ice skating rink. Called Turtle Reams after the 1967 conversion into a general store by new owner Paul Ream, it stood until it was demolished in 2006 for new construction.

The Turtle Reams are built by first making a mound of earth in the desired shape of the shell, the ellipsoidal portion is 240 feet (73 m) wide, 160 feet (49 m) wide and 40 feet (12 m) high. The mound was then covered with a rebar grid, to provide strength, and the concrete layer about 4 inches (100 mm) thick. After the concrete was healed, the excrement was dug through the doors, leaving the roof standing in its place. The floor is then poured to complete the structure.

Today, monolithic dome is used in various residential, commercial and industrial projects. Due to their strength, endurance and economy, they are used to store large quantities of various commodities in the cement, fertilizer, agriculture, electricity and mining industries. Due to their structural integrity, they are used as a containment building in several nuclear power plants. Forms have been made using almost all common structural materials including air pressure supported fabrics.

Maps Monolithic dome

Current construction method

Modern construction differs significantly from the original concrete-over-dirt method. The current method was developed by three brothers from Idaho: David, Barry, and Randy South. The first dome built using this method was built in April 1976 in Shelley, Idaho:

• Reinforced concrete foundation, or "ring beam", constructed, defines the basic shape of the structure.
• The shape of the fabric, or the air shape , is attached to the foundation and pumped with an air blower. The air shape contains an airlock to allow workers to enter the form while it is on the rise.
• The polyurethane foam layer is sprayed on the inside of the shape. (The goal is to provide rigidity to the air shape, secure the re-bar in place, provide support for spraying in concrete mixes, and isolate the final structure.)
• Rebar is attached to the outer layer of the foam, using a clip attached to the foam.
• Several inches of concrete is sprayed onto the re-bar frame.
• After the concrete has finished, the blower is turned off.
• Open surfaces of air shape may be left as is, or surface treatments such as paint, tiles, etc., can be applied. (Selection of appropriate airform material will ensure the prevention of long-term degradation due to ultraviolet radiation.)

In cases where the need requires economical construction for some small and basic dwellings, the dome can be constructed without insulation and the air shape can be removed upon completion and reused to build an additional dome.

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Endurance

Dome, when completed, are earthquakes, tornadoes and storm-resistant (US Federal Emergency Management Agency rated them as "almost absolute protection" of the F5 and Category 5 Hurricanes tornadoes). Recently, a number of monolithic domes built using MDI techniques have survived major disasters:

• Some of the monolithic dome in Florida survived the direct attack of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
• Many monolithic domes are on fire tracks in 2005 and 2006 in Oklahoma and Texas, and survive with little influence from exterior foam insulation.
• In 2003, a monolithic dome government building in Iraq survived a direct attack of 5,000 pounds (2,300 kg). bomb. The inside of the structure is completely destroyed, but the dome itself remains standing (see picture).

Demolition of Ream Turtle also demonstrates the monolithic dome structure resistance. A destructive ball crushes a strip of several feet wide around the structure, without collapse. When a door on one side was pulled down, the dome was finally upside down, and collapsed.

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Climate control

The monolithic dome, for a number of reasons, is very energy efficient. The dome ball section offers a minimum surface area for the volume it contains, resulting in fewer surfaces for heat transfer with outside air. The construction of one part of the monolithic dome also removes many layers where air can leak, although this is reduced to a certain degree in the dome of residence by the addition of several doors and windows. By placing the insulating foam on the outside of the concrete shell, concrete acts as a Thermal mass inside the building, reducing interior temperature fluctuations far more than traditional house insulation inside a brick or veneer stone.

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Disadvantages

While the monolithic dome has many engineering advantages, there are also some disadvantages, both engineering and social.

Engineering

• The techniques used in monolithic dome construction are very different from normal construction methods, so only specially trained construction crews are suitable for building domes using modern techniques.
• The curved surfaces attached to the monolithic dome construction often produce oddly shaped spaces when divided, which can lead to wasted space in narrow angles. There is a floor space problem wasted due to the curvature of the walls and the fitting furniture problem, similar to the Quonset hut. This effect can be minimized by building a dome on a rod wall, or by using a shape-like air shape to allow a straight, vertical wall at ground level.
• The lack of a monolithic layer may well close it; dehumidifiers are needed at all except the driest climate.

Social

The social disadvantages of the immense monolithic domes possessed by geodesic domes, because of their similar shape and unorthodox construction. These losses are:

• The radically different view of the apes also reduces the appeal for its use as a private dwelling - the standard circular base does not match the many small ones found in many areas, and strange looks and designs can run in collision with environmental development agreements. Depending on the situation, the large variety available from standard loop forms can avoid some of these problems.
• Building permits may be difficult to obtain if local officials are not familiar with the monolithic dome.
• The resale of a monolithic dome home may be difficult due to its unusual appearance.

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Construction Notes

The world's largest monolithic dome is the home of the Faith Chapel Christian Center in Birmingham, AL, which is 72 feet (22 m) high, and 280 feet (85 m) tall. Inside are 74,500 square feet (6.920 m ² ) in two floors.

Several communities in the United States have chosen to use monolithic dome technology in the construction of new schools. A newly built monolithic dome school map can be found here: [1]

A dwelling house, the monolithic "Dome of a Home" in Pensacola Beach, Florida, has experienced several storms since it was built.

src: www.monolithic.org

See also

• Binishell
• Bubble House (Litchfield Park, Arizona)
• Hurricane-resistant buildings
• Monolithic church
• Wallace Neff
• Xanadu House

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References

src: www.monolithic.org

External links

• Build Monolithic Domes, by Sean Lanham, Architect Week
• Trinity Dome Construction Log, first homebuilder experience

Source of the article : Wikipedia