FAQs

What are the construction beams made of?

The beams and derivative elements are a new technology designed and developed by their inventor, Micah Toll. They consist of a corrugated plastic outer 'skin' which contains a foam core center. They are extremely lightweight, weatherproof, and fire resistant.

What are the applications of these beams?

These constructions beams have a broad range of applications. Initially they were designed for the purpose of rapid construction of refugee housing in remote areas. However, with additional R&D, it was found that the basic beams, and other structural derivative elements based on the basic beam design (e. g. interlocking beams, cylindrical posts, tubes, pipes and troughs) have broad utility as irrigation and water collection systems, pontoon bridges, rafts, floating evacuation gurneys, animal enclosures, and other related structures and devices.

What are the advantages over other building materials like metal or wood?

Metal, wood, composites and other building materials all share similar downsides. All of these materials require the use of power tools to do any construction sized work. The materials are neither lightweight nor easily shippable. They all require the use of specialized fasteners and hardware. In addition, skilled tradesman must be called in to work with the materials. The Disaster Rebuilding Solutions foam core beams are easily worked with using only simple or primitive hand tools, require no special hardware, are extremely lightweight, and require no previous construction skills. This makes them the perfect building material to send to remote areas of the world for rapid disaster relief.

How strong are the beams?

Testing is still underway as new beam designs continue to be developed. Some beam configurations are capable of supporting up to 600 lbs in sheer and up to 5,000 lbs in compression, much more than is necessary for the design applications.

What about exposure to the elements?

Long term testing of the beams and structures has been conducted to study beam resilience after exposure to the elements. The beams spent over three years outside during which time they were subjected to rain, snow, sleet, temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celcius), and intense UV radiation. Durometer tests of the exposed foam from these samples showed that there was no measurable difference in the strength of the foam.

If the beams are so lightweight, is wind a problem?

The beams are so lightweight that an entire house can weigh less than 100 lbs. Therefore, a house left unanchored would feel the force of a strong gust of wind. In field tests, all structures were tied to the stakes in the ground or anchored to something heavy such as a water-filled ballast. This kept structures from moving when faced with substantial wind gusts.

What tools are needed to work with the beams?

The technology was designed so that no power tools are required to work with these beams. During construction testing, only three tools were used: a pruning hook, a wooden mallet, and an old style hand operated drill (bit brace). In the field, a cutting device such as a machete could be substituted for a pruning hook or saw, a rock or other blunt object could be substituted for a hammer, and a sharpened stick can be used instead of a hand operated drill to puncture the beams and make holes.

How are the beams joined together?

The beams are designed so that no specialized mechanical fasteners are needed to join them together. They require no nails or glue for construction. The beams can be notched together in a log cabin construction style, or stacked on top of each other and held together by a stake driven through the beams. In addition, plastic cable ties or rope are also very effective for holding beams together. They can be laced through holes made in the beams to tie structures together.

Are the beams biodegradable?

No. The beams do not degrade over time. The beams are designed to last for years and remain structurally sound. In the event that a shelter is no longer needed, the beams can easily be removed and recycled into secondary structures such as storage sheds, grain silos, animal pens, etc.

What is used for roofing and sheathing of structure?

In field tests, the same plastic that was used in the outer shell of the beams is used in 4'x8' sheets to cover the shelters. Windows and doors can easily be cut in the plastic to accommodate the needs of the occupants. For a more culturally sensitive alternative, native sheathing and roofing materials such as palm leaves, grass or reeds, bamboo or other local materials can be used to cover the shelter, when available.

Can water collection systems be built into the roof?

It is very simple to add rain collectin systems into any structure using the same two materials, plastic and foam, used in all other parts of the structure. Pipes and troughs are easy to construct and have undergone testing in rain collection. In addition, rain collection towers have been built completely out of the plastic used in the shell of the beams. A large tripod and suspended funnel can be cut from the sheets of plastic and used to collect large amounts of rain and dew.

How buoyant are the beams?

Because of the foam core, the beams are incredibly buoyant and capable of supporting substantial loads in water applications. A 6'x8' (1.8m x 2.4m) raft was capable of supporting over 1000 lbs (450 kg).