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http://www.coverquest.com/covers/ins...s/cover-it.php

Wpg Man wrote:
Thanks for the reply, and thanks to all others that replied (even if
you think I'm crazy, he he).

Your description of a "waffle" was just what I had imagined. If you
were able to look up (from below) it would look like a "coffered"
ceiling.

Yes, the biggest concern is the strength of the slab between the
beams. Of course that would require an engineer. However, I can't
imagine a problem with an 8x8 ft slab. I've seen lots of untensioned
8 foot spans (for example in small "man" tunnels under roadways etc).

As for gravel. A 24x24 garage pad with 2 feet of gravel requires
approx $1000 of gravel. If you don't want to break your back tamping
every 6" of the stuff, it's gonna cost another grand for the labour.
The hay bales would cost almost nothing (less than 100 bux, or you
could scrounge some for nothing). I think the labour is less with the
bales (still a bit of work though). Even if the cost of gravel were
"zero", I hate the results because any settling or frost just cracks
the slab. I want that sucker so strong that you could flip it over in
one piece.

Mark my words, I will start a revolution in the construction industry.
Soon we will see office towers constructed with the "hay bale"
method!




"DanG" wrote in message
news:sOQcc.101$6y6.81@okepread03...
Sounds like a carton form slab.

It was suggested as an option on a high plastic index job. We
elected to use lime slurry injection as a less expensive option
that project.

I never got into the details of designing the bearings for that
slab.

Carton forms are usually used to create expansion voids under
grade beams. I know that hay was used for this void in the past,
so your idea has merit. I would guess you simply need a strong
enough slab to span the voids.

Waffle slabs have decks as thin as 2", though I would tend more
toward a thicker slab. Post tension might be considered.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing. . . .
DanG


"Wpg Man" wrote in message
om...
Does anybody have any thoughts about using straw bales as a
"void
----SNIP