Terra-Dome Earth Shelter Build

[SamWalton]

Sam,

I am still watching and enjoying your home project.

How deep will you cover the roof with earth? Will you drive your tractor onto the roof or get something lighter? Please don't say 'shovel & wheelbarrow'. :laughing:

It's going to take a considerable amount of soil to complete I think. On those long grades from a dome top to the bottom of your side berms is a long way.

You could consider a retaining wall about half-way down your berms. This would give you a terrace effect which will cut down the volume of soil needed and provide an excellent use for your rocks. You might need to do some compacting first and then cut a ledge in the berm (parallel with the house) with your FEL to make a level wall base.
Dave.

We will cover the dome over by a few feet of soil and taper down to the parapets. The low areas will require more soil. For now we need safe passage to loader the soil but after the east side of the garage is covered we could move the soil to other needed areas and do the terrace thing. Our tractor is very light. only 4K lbs. So we plan to use it to cover our roof.

 

[brin]

Brin, We love and enjoy our home although this is an endeavor beyond most. Life is not all fun and games. Our current build is being accomplished by my wife Wendy and my sons Travis and Kyle and myself, which is a hardship beyond what you cam imagine. We could have went on many vacations and just purchased a typical home but I wish to live independently in a world where the many changes will interrupt and threaten the our way of life.

My wife and son are everything to me but I extend this to anyone who will listen. If they told you you were in harms way. I suppose you and your family wouldn't worry or develop a plan. I call the trance most are in pure suicide and isn't that suppose to be a sin. I don't put all my energy into worrying but into planning. Using the creative mind that the creator gave us all. All humans are a big family no matter what color, creed or culture. All prejudice is learned from the manipulators. It is how the few can control the masses through divide and conquer. You say "remember none of us" not possible! We all are one great big dysfunctional family and I would enjoy braking bread with any and or all of you.

" I call the trance most are in pure suicide and isn't that suppose to be a sin "

Sam, I agree with you, I truly believe the majority of Americans are in a trance like state...look where we are as a country and who gets elected..just for a clue.. I just meant ..I have done my homework and prepared for a complete collapse of society as we have known it. Beyond that , it seems it is wait and see, I just meant in the meantime still take time out to enjoy everyday and not let this get to you...I sure did not mean to just give up.,.. I have always protected my family and will until the end of time, as we know it...Best...

 

[SamWalton]

I think I have developed a plan to get the extra earth needed to cover our roof. We have a long earth berm wall or fence along our long driveway. We will use this and a few piles of dirt we have around which may be enough. I like this earthen wall because it would be difficult to pass with most vehicles. I am just glad we have it to use. Much of this dirt is mostly good top soil. Attached are a few pictures of our berm wall and dirt pile

" I call the trance most are in pure suicide and isn't that suppose to be a sin "

Sam, I agree with you, I truly believe the majority of Americans are in a trance like state...look where we are as a country and who gets elected..just for a clue.. I just meant ..I have done my homework and prepared for a complete collapse of society as we have known it. Beyond that , it seems it is wait and see, I just meant in the meantime still take time out to enjoy everyday and not let this get to you...I sure did not mean to just give up.,.. I have always protected my family and will until the end of time, as we know it...Best...

Brin, you are right it is very important to take sometime to have some fun and laughs. I am glad you clarified that. We are now on the same page. I am still not sure what we can do individually or collectively. I think some of us will know what we are to do when it is required of us. I am convinced we must hit the bottom before the masses come out of their robot state.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

" I call the trance most are in pure suicide and isn't that suppose to be a sin "

Sam, I agree with you, I truly believe the majority of Americans are in a trance like state...look where we are as a country and who gets elected..just for a clue.. I just meant ..I have done my homework and prepared for a complete collapse of society as we have known it. Beyond that , it seems it is wait and see, I just meant in the meantime still take time out to enjoy everyday and not let this get to you...I sure did not mean to just give up.,.. I have always protected my family and will until the end of time, as we know it...Best...

Guys pm me and I will put you in contact with a big time television production company that's called me twice about becoming a reality tv star. I'm talking a producer called me this afternoon about this. They're looking for guys like you. They are doing a series about believers in the great collapse that have made preparations for it.

Private message me and I will forward you their information. But do it quick because Wednesday evening I'm on a jet plane with a one way ticket to Haiti. One way because we know I will be there at least two weeks, probably longer.

We all know the planet is in trouble. The solutions, I guess that depends on the size of your world.

 

[forgeblast]

Good luck harv, great work we wish you the best.
Once you take the dirt berm down you may want to dig a depression to control water, and or create an obstacle in reverse.

There was a great book I read. It was used by Santa Anna when he was planning to attack the Alamo. It was referenced in a tv show and my library had a copy. It was one of those books that makes you look at planning in a different light. The book is Summary on the Cause of Permanent Fortifications and of the Attack and Defense of Permanent Works (1850) by dh mahan.
Dennis Hart Mahan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Its also describes why some early fortifcations were built the way they were.

 

[kude]

The last time I saw an earth shelter being built was 35 years ago (?). It was cozy, but it had water problems. I su[ppose techology has solved those kind of problems. Good luck with your project.

 

[mjncad]

It all ties in because our reason to building this house are these earth changes we are all experiencing. We know the difficulties we face, so this is why we go through so much trouble to build a home that has a chance to survive and sustain us.

Sam:

I understand your reasoning for building the house; but I and I suppose others would rather enjoy the technical aspects of your home building project and admire the craftsmanship you and your family are putting into it with this thread.

However; I think the philosophy, theology, etc, etc, etc ad nauseum debate would be better served in its own thread.

 

[psj12]

Sam,

I remember looking at an earth covered home in the Sallisaw OK area several years ago while I was there shopping for property. It looked more like a military ammo bunker rather than your Tera Dome structure. It had a flat concrete front with a picture window in it and a roof over a front porch. I never went inside because we we didn't call the agent. As I work on a military base, I comented to my wife that it looked like a converted bunker.

We found it by following some very old sale signs at some county road intersections and cannot remember its' exact location only to say North of Sallisaw. I believe while looking on the internet recently that I found it again as a "sold" property. Have you ever seen it?

We will be moving to your area (Short OK) about Oct 1.

 

[davo727]

Im sorry mjncad but I think this is Sams thread, not yours.

Sam:

I understand your reasoning for building the house; but......

 

[tony Cecil]

I agree with you..Davo.....Tony