(fullscreen with narration)

Auburn University

http://www.bsci.auburn.edu/projects/eaao/

CONTACT: Gerald Asay, Senior, Building Science, Auburn University, (334) 332-6202
asayger@auburn.edu

What's Going On

In Lee County the EAAO has begun to develop a small community of Transitional Houses to educate people with HIV/AIDS. There is already a male's house where up to 3 men can stay for 18-24 months and are taught how to get back into everyday life both physically and financially.

Currently, a student group from Auburn University's School of Architecture, Design, and Construction is working on a screened porch and a community center. Future plans include a female's house, which will be able to house 3 women; each with up to 2 children. With the help of various donors, the student group will be fund-raising, designing and constructing all projects as part of a Design/Build Thesis Studio.

 

VOBB blocks have arrived on the job-site
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6 Testing the rebar and aligning were the rebar will be inserted. Some people prefer to drill and then insert the rebar after the slab is dried. Other people prefer to put the rebar in while the slab is still wet.

7 On a corner, it is suggested that a three-sided VOBB be used so that the VOBB clips can be inserted to keep the corner straight.

8 Very, very important!!! Making sure the wall is level BEFORE the grout is poured in the VOBB block

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12 Working together to dry-stack VOBB

 13 Putting in a VOBB clip 

14 A corner looking upwards

15 Filling a cavity NOTE: Dry concrete mix with pea gravel is being poured into the VOBB block with water from a water hose. Simple, easy and cheap!! On the bag of concrete mix, it says just add water. It does not say you have to mix it in a mixer. As VOBB has no weak mortar joints, this method greatly reduces the labor cost and waste of building a quality concrete block wall. However, there are some engineers who do not like this method. It is totally up to the person paying the bill to decide which way they want. Be sure to check with the local building inspector. (We suggest you do a sample with three 18" VOBB using the dry-pour method first to show the inspector the quality.)

16 Cutting rebar. Rebar (inside the grout) is what makes a VOBB wall super strong

17 Who says women can't dry stack VOBB?

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20 A VOBB column

21 "Most interesting - Now what?"

  22  The TEAM - Left to Right: Zeb, Jerrick, Gerald, Carri, John

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28 Steel beam is going up

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33 Almost finished

(in-progress - more pictures to follow in the future)

VOBB would like to thank very much David's Patio from Texas for the gift of VOBB block for this project.