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Saturday, January 16. 2010Rebar!Trackbacks
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Tedd, your passion for properly built homes is clearly driven, and surpassed by your compassion for the people that rely on those homes. As admirable are builders' goals of "Green" or "LEAN" these days, these pale in comparison to the higher calling builders have...to provide reliable shelter for safety & security.
Regarding the absence of rebar in Haiti construction, note the pictures of the rubble where once significant buildings stood, e.g., the United Nations Headquarters and the Montana Hotel: MASSIVE BUNDLES OF TWISTED REBAR separated from the concrete. There are many factors involved here including the quality of the concrete, the foundations and base soil types, and most importantly the method of connection and general design. I have been to Haiti three times and sure, a piece of steel is a valued commodity, but they are not unaware of its use.
But who provides the rebar? Who creates Haiti's steel industry? If all of this was recognized 5 years ago, how would one convince the residents of Port-Au-Prince to tear down their existing homes in favor of new ones? Where would they live in the meantime?
In construction and engineering terms, is this really all that different than the New Orleans levee disaster immediately post-Katrina? Or the bridge collapse in Minneapolis? Rebar is an element of construction, and unfortunately, it's about the 140th step in any solution. As David Brooks alludes, the first steps are functional economies, stable governments, and a public demand for a quality infrastructure. Crisis causes change, and cultures change after major traumas. Maybe this crisis will change Haiti. ... and how are things going in New Orleans?
Call it my frustration. As one of the articles pointed out, it's very much like malarial netting. We've known how effective it is for decades, but somehow we can't get a simple solution to a big problem to people who need it.
Rebar has been the recognized solution for strengthening concrete for 80 to 100 years. It's not a mystery. Still, I know my reaction is simplistic thinking. I've even had builders in this country tell me they think concrete reinforcement at the foundation level is too much expense and trouble. TB
If you want to know about Haiti read Tracy Kidder's book Mountains beyond Mountains...it will break your heart and makes one question one's own worry about retirement or college expenses or feeling like one wants to upgrade their wardrobe or what to buy pooch for dog treats... I would shift a lot of military spending to the building of appropraite helicopter quick response hardware that ensures we win hearts the world over. The cold war mentality no longer seems to be working.
I would add that it's hard to find a more inspiring individual than Paul Farmer, who is the subject of Kidder's book. Can one person make a difference? With the living evidence of Paul Farmer, there's no doubt. TB
Ted - I'm going to sign you up for the next team I lead to Haiti on behalf of Mountains of Hope for Haiti. We could use you and lots more like you. Be in touch, Bridget
Paul Farmer (Partners in Health)is building a hospital in Haiti. Scheduled before the earthquake now is larger and has faster schedule then before. Anyone wanting to donate the rebar or mesh for this project please contact me.
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