Barrel vault Earth Shelter?

We want to build an earth sheltered house dug into a south facing hill on our property. We are thinking of a hobbit style house, long and narrow, cement walls going up 6 or 7 feet then a brick barrel vault as the roof from end to end. Kinda like an old brick wine cellar.

Has anyone tried this? We want round doors and windows, (hobbit style) I am not an engineer, I think a vault pushes out on the walls, so we may want to back fill on all sides, and around the windows and door.

We would like to know if anyone has built something like this or at least if this would work. We are thinking maybe 12feetX40feet long.

thanks all

Buried 40 feet into the hillside, with only a 12-foot-wide south facing front? I think your temperatures will be very very stable from being buried, but the inner portion will be depressingly dark and poorly ventilated.

No, the building is 12X40 feet, its only buried 12 feet into the hill, so the entire 40 feet side is exposed to windows and light. sorry for the bad description, not a tunnel into the hill, more a tunnel along the hillside.

Hi Joshua...

Welcom...

We want to build an earth sheltered house dug into a south facing hill on our property. We are thinking of a hobbit style house, long and narrow, cement walls going up 6 or 7 feet then a brick barrel vault as the roof from end to end. Kinda like an old brick wine cellar.

Sounds wonderful...is more than achievable but will be expensive in either time, labor or both...If that is agreeable...then there is little to stop you for making it happen if you like this concept...

Has anyone tried this? We want round doors and windows, (hobbit style) I am not an engineer, I think a vault pushes out on the walls, so we may want to back fill on all sides, and around the windows and door. We would like to know if anyone has built something like this or at least if this would work. We are thinking maybe 12feetX40feet long.

Well "round" is more an "Art Nouveau" era style (as much as it is "Hobbit," so yes this style can be made to work. It is more an "esthetic" than a "form and function" aspect. "Round" is (at best) 50% more difficult to build...do be honest with yourselfs about that...

As for the "underground" (aka fossorial architecture) aspect...Traditional buildings of this form have been well loved and used for millenia...

When you get to the point of actual CAD modeling and blueprinting, many here on these forums will have input and feedback.

Regards,

j