“Nation Builders” is my construction company in Cambodia. We have built 6 km (about 4 miles) of drainage and sewage pipes (manufacture, engineer and install) in the last six months, plus we have started building roads. Our one meter wide drain pipes, made from concrete are of excelent quality and only cost about $60 per meter (3 feet sections). Our road work is putting down concrete roads 8 inches think. We build roads for $2.50 per square foot! (You know you can’t even buy chinese made tiles for that in the US!) How do we do it? We keep the costs low and sales high!
Bamboo: The Organic Rebar
One way we keep costs low is by using locally available materials. That includes “organic rebar”. Concrete is an amazing thing. It can handle huge compression forces, but yet, it pulls apart very easy. It has very little tension strength. That is why for building with concrete, you need to use rebar. If you don’t, it will crack very quickly. It holds the concrete together. Well, in Cambodia, we use bamboo for road work. Bamboo does not deteriorate over time. The road will be replaced long before the bamboo will show any ware and tare. Bamboo is flexible and strong. In Asia, they use bamboo for scaffolding on 50-60 storey building. It is all held together by plastic ties. No problem.
How much does steel cost? $750 per ton. How much does bamboo cost? $10 per ton. Keeping costs low we can build a nation. We are also sensative to the environment. Eco roads: something Obama has not even throught of.