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Extreme Recycling - Cardboard Buildings
Xenographic writes: "Apparently, someone in the UK got the idea to build a school entirely out of cardboard and Westborough Primary School decided to implement it. The students are even recycling their trash to help construction!"
It is suggested you read the article. The building has been treated for both water, and fire, and strength.
The strength tests they used were the following: (1) The strongest man in Great Britain took a sledge hammer to one of the tubes. It was only slightly dented. I'd imagine Lumber acts the same way when he takes a sledge hammer to it. (2) They built a test bridge out of the material, and drove a 1 ton van onto it, which did not dent at all.
The fire test involved taking a flame thrower to untreated and treated cardboard. The untreated burned pretty good, but the treated charred, but remained physically mostly in tact (similar to lumber). Don't expect it to survive burning jet fuel, but it should do okay.
The water test involved the local fire department hosing the place down with fire hoses. The inside remained dry, with no leaks or damp spots.
However, its life is only expected to be 20 years. Which really isn't that bad, for a recycable building.
"I see you've been sent to the my office for the fourth time this month."
Jimmy continued silently staring at the cardboard floor, kicking impatiently at the corrogated ridges under his feet showing through after three months of moderate traffic.
"Jimmy?"
Jimmy looked up, feigning a look of innocence.
"You know matches, lighters and magnifying glasses were banned after we lost the North wing."
My car gets 40 rods to the hogshead, and that's the way I likes it!