rammed tire superdome?

Has anyone ever built a rammed tire superdome?

Its usually done with earthbags but I want to try with rammed tires.

I have the site already and have laid the first layer but not finished ramming it yet. Its about 12M diameter circle so not that big. The next layer will come in a bit and the next and so on. I have no foundations just laid the first tires down and ramming them gets them set firm I hope.

I have a large tractor tire for the main door, and plan normal tires upright for the windows, when I get up to that height.

I would love to hear people thoughts on here, what problems I will have to over come?

this project will take years to complete because Im working full time and only go there every now and then, plus the place I get tires from I can only take a trailer full at a time, when I lay them down its not much every time.

I am not thinking about a serious home, just a fun holiday bug out location more like camping there.

Has it ever been done before? Rammed tire superdome?

It is going to get difficult when the angle of the done starts in. The base of the circle should be easy enough, but soon you are either going to be beating earth at an angle, or trying to ram earth with nothing under the tire you are ramming.

Probably a better idea would be to use tires for the main bulk then a ferrocement dome for the top? Or construct the entire thing as a ferrocement bubble and then bury it for thermal mass?

Dave Turpin wrote:It is going to get difficult when the angle of the done starts in. The base of the circle should be easy enough, but soon you are either going to be beating earth at an angle, or trying to ram earth with nothing under the tire you are ramming.

Probably a better idea would be to use tires for the main bulk then a ferrocement dome for the top? Or construct the entire thing as a ferrocement bubble and then bury it for thermal mass?

Thanks yes I can see the problem, is this why its never been done before Always seem to have a roof of some kind on top, but with earth bag construction the walls come right up to meet and that is the roof.

I imagine you can not come in that much each layer. Just come in the width of the tire wall each new layer. So that you are not ramming with nothing under it.

I realise it would not be so low impact but actually quite high because you can not come in all that much each layer. I would like to have an upstairs even if its only stading head room in the middle it could be sitting headroom around the outside. But downstairs could be lovely living area.

I am now thinking about a flat roof with some skylights, but still earth beam the entire thing leaving holes to let light in and for the chimney