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MICROFICHE REFERENCE LIBRARY A project of Volunteers in Asia Self-Heln Construction of l-Storv Buildins Peace Corps ATFD Manual M-6 by: Peter Gallant Published by: Peace Corps Information Collection and Exchange 806 Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20525 USA Available from: Peace Corps Information Collection and Exchange 806 Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20525 USA Reproduction of this microfiche document in any form is subject to the same restrictions as those of the original document. APPROPRIATE TECHNObOGlES FOR DEVELOPMENT of l-Slow Builtlimgs S INFORMATION COLLECTION & EXCHANGE MANUAL NO. M-6 INFORMATION COLLECTION AND EXCHANGE Peace Corps' Information Collection and Exchange (ICE) was established so that the strategies and technologies developed by Peace Corps Volunteers in their field work could be made available to the wide range of development workers who might find them useful. Training guides, curricula, lesson plans, manuals and other Peace Corps-generated materials developed in the field are collected and reviewed: some of these materials are reprinted; others provide an important source of field-based information for the production of manuals or for research in particular program areas. Materials that you submit to the Information Collection and Exchange thus become part of the Peace Corps' larger contribution to 'development. A listing of all Information Collection and Exchange publications is available through: Peace Corps Information Collection and Exchange OZfice of Programming and Training Coordination 806 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20525 ICE Reprints, Manuals, and Resource Packets are available on request to Peace Corps Volunteers and staff. On a limited basis, most are also available to field workers in developing nations. Others who may be interested in obtaining these materials may purchase them through National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia 22161, and a few selections are available through Volunteers in Technical Assistance (VITA), 3706 Rhode Island Avenue, Mt. Rainier, Maryland 20822. Add your experience to the ICE Resource Center: send materials that you've prepared so that we can share them with others working in the development field. Your technical insights serve as the basis for the generation of ICE manuals, reprints and resource packets, and also ensure that ICE is providing the most updated, innovative problem-solving techniques and information available. SELF-HELP CONSTRUCTION OF l-STORY BUILDINGS Written by Peter Gallant illustrated by Nancy Bergau edited by Jim Seaton Peter Hunt Peace Corps Information Collection and Exchange Manual M 6 Special Printing for AID Resources December, 1980 Self-Help Cons&.&ion of I-Story Buildings is the sixth in a series of publications being prepared by the United States Peace Corps. These publications combine the practical field experience and technical expertise of Peace Corps volunteers in areas in which development workers have special difficulties finding useful resource materials. PEACE CORPS Since 1961 Peace Corps Volunteers have worked at the grass roots level in countries around the world in program areas such as agriculture, public health, and education. Before beginning their two-year assignments, Volunteers are given training in cross-cultural, technical, and language skills. This training helps them to live and work closely with the people of their host countries. It helps them, too, to approach development problems with new ideas that make use of locally available resources and are appropriate to the local cultures. Recently Peace Corps established an Information Collection & Exchange so that these ideas developed during service in the field could be made available to the wide range of development workers who might find them useful. Materials from the field are now being collected, reviewed, and classified in the Information Collection & Exchange system. The most useful materials will be shared. The Information Collection & Exchange provides an important source of field-based research materials for the production of how-to manuals such as SeZf-Help Constmction of I-Story Buildings. THE AUTHORS Pete Gallant served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Liberia for three years. During that time he worked on and supervised a variety of projects involving the construction of l-story schools, roads, and bridges in rural areas. Mr, GaLlant-holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from St. Joseph College; he is now working with the U.S. Department of State. (iii) Peter Hunt workes for several years in the audio-visual and training departments of Save the Children Federation where he worked on materials to help field workers promote cornmunity- directed construction projects. He is now a free-lance video producer and develops video- and print-based training materials for national and international organizations. Jim Seaton is Co-Director of Communications Development Service (CDS), an independent organization that provides field training for development workers. He specializes in designing materials and informal educationalexperi.?nces that help community members focus on their own knowledge, experience, and human resources as the basis for self-development. -Mr. Seaton is currently developing training workshops in nutrition planning for several countries to help government staff respond effectively to community initiatives in integrated rural development. Nancy Bergau, the graphic artist for this manual, served with the Peace Corps as a graphic design consultant to the National Broadcast Training Centre and TV Pendidikan (Educational TV), both in Malaysia. Before joining Communications Development Service to work on this manual, she also worked as art director for a multi-media public health education program. Ms. Bergau has extensive professional experience with the full range of graphics and audio-visual production. Her illustrations proved invaluable in shaping the manual's text and in making the more complex technical details easier to explain. Many thanks are due here to a number of people who aided the preparation of this manual: Henry Baker, Director, Santa Cruz City Department of Parks and Recreation, Santa Cruz, California. Steve Bender, Consultant. Program Director, Rice University Center for Community Design and Research, Houston, Texas. Tom Callaway, Director, Division of Technology and Documentation, Office of International Affairs, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, D.C. Earl Kessler, Self-Help Construction Advisor, Foundation for Cooperative Housing. Special notes of thanks are due to: Brenda Gates, for her continued support as Project Director of the Peace Corps Program and Training Journal Manual Series. Karen Seaton, Communications Development Service, for her lay-out work andproduction assistance with this manual. (iv) For your convenience, a reply form has been provided here. Please send it in and let us know how this manual has helped or can be made more helpful. If the reply form is missing from your copy of the manual, just put your comments, suggestions, descriptions of problems, etc., on a piece of paper and send them to: SELF-HELP CONSTRUCTION Peace Corps Information Collection & Exchange 806 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20525 U.S.A. w PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM NOTE TO USER: This manual was published because Peace Corps workers and volunteers wish to help in a growing area of worldwide interest. In order to provide the most effective help, the preparers of the manual need to know how it is being used, or how you feel it could better serve your needs. Please fill in the followinq form and return it to: SELF-HELP CONSTRUCTION Peace Corps Information Collection & Exchange 806 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20525 U.S.A. WHEN WE RECEIVE THIS FORM, WE WILL AUTOMATICALLY PLACE YOUR NAME ON A MAILING LIST SO THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE: . Updates and/or additions and corrections to the manual as they become available. . Notice of other publications w'nich may be of interest to you. If you have questions on the material presented in the manual, or if you run into problems implementing the suggestions offered here, please note them in the space provided. Use additional paper if you have to in order to be as specific as you can about the problem. Wherever possible, we will try to provide, or direct you to, an answer. Your Name Your Address * * * Date Your Company or Agency, if any 1. How did you find 0u.t about the Peace Corps SeZf-HeZp Construction of I-Story BuiZdings manual? How did you get your copy? (vii) 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Which parts of the manual have you found most useful? Least useful? Why? Did you find the manual easy to read, too simple or complex, complete or incomplete? How has this manual helped your work? What have you done to apply the information? Can you recommend additional methods or equipment which you feel'should be included in a new edition of the manual? If you know of such methods, etc., please include the information here. What were your successes using the manual or implementing any of the ideas or procedures? Problems? Please describe completely. Do you have other recommendations? Privacy Act Notice: Furnishing the information requested herein is completely voluntary. It is requested under authorities contained in the Peace Corps Act (22USC 2501 et seq.). The only uses which will be made of this information are as follows: 1) For management purposes involving the format of future issues of this publication; 2) For in- corporation in a mailing list for this and other similar publications. TABLE OF CONYENTS Page About This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..“................. iii ReplyForm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..~~...........~..vii INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 A Note on the Development Process and Construction Projects....................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 How To Use This Manual................................,....5 What This Manual Will Talk About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...*.*.. 6 1 BASIC PLANNING AND DESIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -11 Site and Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 How Big Should the Site Be?..........................1 4 How Accessible, and How Private Should the Site Be?..1 6 What Kind of Soil Should the Site Be On?.............1 8 How Well is the Site Drained?........................1 9 '\ How Should the Building Be Placed on Its Site?.......2 0 ', Summary of Factors Affecting Site Selection..........2 1 Size, Shape, and Floor Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 "..School s .............................................. 22 Clinics .............................................. 25 Homes ................................................ 27 What Size Will Each Room Be?......................3 0 Using Measuring Units to Help the Family Plan Its Own Floor Plan ............................... 31 Helping the Family Draw Its Own Floor Plan........4 1 Drawing the Floor Plan of A House.................4 2 Doors, Windows, and Ceilings In All Buildings........4 8 Where Will Inside Doors Be Placed?................4 8 How High Will the Ceiling Be?.....................5 1 Where Will Windows and Outside Doors Be Placed? How Will They Be Designed, and What Size Will They Be?. ........................................ 52 Windows in a Tropical Climate.....................5 3 Protecting the Inside of the Building From Rain and Insects ...................................... 56 Taking Advantage of Any Breeze....................5 8 Windows in A Desert-Like Climate..................6 2 Exterior Doors .................................... 65 Construction Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...*.* 66 Rammed Earth (Mud, Pise) and Adobe Bricks............67 (ix) Page Wood .................................................. 69 Bamboo ................................................ 69 Stone/Rock ............................................ 70 Cement and Materials Made With Cement.................7 0 Mortars...............................................~ Concrete ............................................... Reinforced Concrete...................................7 2 Blocks ................................................ 74 Concrete Blocks.......................................7 5 Sand-Cement Blocks (Sandcrete)........................ 5 Stabilized Earth Blocks...............................7 6 Summary ............................................... 76 2 DETAiLED PLANNING FOR CONSTRUCTION.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -79 ~ Planning Foundations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 2 Footings .............................................. 83 Foundation Walls ...................................... 84 Deciding Upon the Materials and Dimensions For Foundations .......................................... 88 Drawing Final Foundation Plans........................8 8 PlanningFOoors...........................................9 0 Types of Floors. ...................................... 90 Planning Walls, Windows, and Doors ...................... 92 Wall Height and Length ................................ 93 Wall Thickness ........................................ 94 Placement of Doors and Windows........................9 5 Construction Details for Doors, Windows and Interior Walls ................................................ 96 Planning Roofs .......................................... 101 Roof Styles and Their Functions......................l-- t Roof Materials .. ...... ............................... Construction Details For Roofs.......................10 7 3 DIRECTIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION ......................... 115 Setting Out iLaying Out). ................................ ,116 Orientation .......................................... 119 Marking the Foundation Outline.......................12 0 Batter Boards ........................................ 123 (x) 4 Page Construction of Foundation Footings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Digging the Foundation Trench........................12 7 Formwork For Footings................................12 9 Making the Concrete For Foundation Footings ......... .I30 Pouring the Concrete For Foundation Footings.........13 5 Curing the Concrete For Foundation Footings..........13 6 Reinforced Footings..................................13 7 Construction of Foundation Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,138 Concrete Foundation Walls............................13 8 Block Foundation Walls ............................... 140 Making Blocks.....................................14 0 Making Concrete Blocks.........................14 0 Making Sand-Cement Blocks......................14 1 Kaking Stabilized Earth Blocks.................14 5 Laying Blocks ..................................... 148 Finishing the Mortar..............................15 1 Rock Foundation Walls................................15 1 Construction of Floors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Earth Floors ......................................... 153 Concrete Floors ...................................... 154 Construction of Walk, Windows, and Doors ............. ,157 Block and Brick Walls ................................ 157 Making the Blocks or Bricks.......................15 7 Blocks With Cement Content.....................15 7 Adobe Bricks...................................15 7 Laying Blocks and Bricks .......................... 160 Framing Windows and Doors.........................16 4 Roof Preparation..................................16 6 Rammed Earth Walls...................................16 9 Earth Mixture ..................................... 169 Forms ............................................. 170 Procedure.........................................l7 0 Framing Windows and Doors.........................17 1 Roof Preparation. ................................. 172 Construction of Roofs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Flat Roofs ........................................... 172 Shed Roofs ........................................... 173 Gable Roofs..........................................l7 6 (xi) Page 4 CONSTRUCTION WITH BAMBOO .......................... 181 Bamboo For Foundations .................................... 183 Bamboo For Frames. ........................................ 183 Bamboo For Floors. ........................................ 185 Bamboo For Walls .......................................... 186 Bamboo For Doors and Windows .............................. 187 Bamboa For Roofs..........................................18 7 Bamboo Reinforcement of Concrete..........................18 8 Preservation of Bamboo. ............................. ... """18 8 5 LATRINES ............................................... ..18 9 Location of Latrines ...................................... 190 Pit. ................................................ ... """19 1 Base ...................................................... 192 Floor ..................................................... 192 Shelter.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 6 CONSTRUCTION llh EARTHQUAKE AREAS ................. 195 Selection and Preparation of the Site ..................... 196 Selection of Building Materials ........................... 198 Reinforcement of Buildings ................................ 198 APPENDICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..“....““.“.““.“.““......“..“.... 201 Calculations to Check Whether a Proposed Site will Support a Building............ 202 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Step-By-Step Directions For Drawing Foundation Plans...218 3. Estimating the Amount of Concrete Needed For a Floor...215 4. Estimating Materials Needed To Build Walls.............217 (xii) Page _. Reference Tables for Concrete Construction.....,........221 r; 6. Metric Measurements Used in This Manual and Their U.S. Equivalents.........................,............225 7. Sources of Further Information..........................226 8. "Human Measuring Pieces" For Designing Room Size and Floor Plan............................................231 (xiii) INTRODUCTION This manual has been designed to help field workers with little or no construction experience assist a community or family to *plan and ,&sign a l-story community building (such as a school or health clinic) or home that fits their present and future needs, *assess the advantages or dis- advantages of locally available construction materials, -draw and understand their own construction plans: and FLOOR PLAN: VIEW OF A BUILDING FROM .successfully complete construction according to their own plans. ABOVE SIDE VIEW OF THE SAME BUILDING