This experiment is part of a larger project, a study of an alternative to residence in fixed geopolitical jurisdictions, specifically very large modular floating oceanic structures. The experiment consists of the design, construction and testing of a ¼ scale model of the hexagonal tile modules that make up the proposed habitat.
Develop methods
for the production of cellular concrete.
Develop
techniques for casting concrete platforms with embedded arrays of
large closed-cell airspaces, in earthwork forms.
Develop a means
of launching from the casting site.
Investigate
means of minimizing labor, materials and equipment costs of
production.
Measure
structural integrity under practical conditions of expected use,
compression, tensile, and shear strength from fresh-cast to fully
cured.
Investigate
effect of stresses from launching, loading, anchoring, and storm
wind and wave impact.
Investigate
durability and expected useful lifetime.
Investigate
means of coupling platforms into larger assemblies.
Investigate use
of interior space for storage and habitat.
These are some metrics we can use to judge the degree of success of this part of the project.
Physical Results Achieved:
Cellular
concrete generated.
Platform
casted.
Platform
launched.
Platform floats
with useful buoyancy.
Platform has
good structural integrity.
Access to
internal storage space.
Information Gained:
How to produce
cellular concrete (eg foam generation and mixing)
How to cast
platform with storage cells.
How to launch
platform
Strength of
cellular concrete castings (short and long-term)
Cost of cast
cellular concrete platforms
Time, materials
and tools required to construct cellular concrete platforms
Problems,
hazards, obstacles to construction.