Sand Bag

Since the beginning, I have felt in my gut that there is an effective and very inexpensive solution to the problem of construction of a Pole Shift Shelter that anyone could construct easily. Until last week the solution had eluded me. Then last week I remembered my experience in Viet Nam. In Viet Nam, we routinely constructed shelters that could withstand almost a direct impact of high explosive artillery. These, of course, were constructed of Sand Bags. These cloth sand bags are available almost everywhere for building retaining walls during flood conditions. Many empty bags fit in a small space (like an auto trunk) and are quite inexpensive. These are the means of constructing a Sand Bag Shelter and in a very short time.

Basically, the shelter consists of sand bags filled with sand or even ordinary soil. It is constructed in two phases. First, the walls are built by laying filled sand bags on top of the ground in a suitable diameter circle with the first course of bags at least 3 or 4 wide. That is, the inner circle is laid, then snug against it another circle laid along its outside diameter, etc. Once a course (layer) is completed, the process is repeated, laying the next course on top of the first until the desired height is achieved. For the first 2 or 3 layers, the circle isn't quite completed, leaving enough space to crawl on your stomach through this door opening. Sand bags sufficient to fill in this space are left inside the shelter to close this opening once everyone is inside. The walls can be made somewhat stronger by driving 5/8th's rebar vertically through the middle of the inner diameter ring of sand bags every few feet and well into the ground.

The next phase is the roof. This can be constructed from 3/4th inch plywood, or the hood of your car. The shape and size of the shelter is determined by the shape and size of this roof so that the outside edges lay on the middle of the second diameter ring of sand bags. Two 3"X4"s (or a single 4"X4") are placed vertically inside the center of the shelter to provide support for the roof. Next, sand bags are piled on top of this roof 3 or 4 layers deep. When completed, the entire structure should look like a little hill of sand bags. This construction should be sufficient to easily survive any wind or fire storm, with the fire simply burning the first layer of cloth from the most outside sand bags, leaving a hill of sand or soil.

If one had the time, this could be made even more secure by coating with an inch of concrete made from one part cement to 3 parts coarse sand. About a gallon of water is sufficient to activate the cement, with the mixture "stiff" enough so that it can be trawled onto the sand bag structure. This will cure in a couple weeks. The advantage here is additional protection against fire and a smoother surface to the wind. Its strength can be greatly increased by first shaping chicken wire over the sand bag structure and making the concrete up to 2 inches thick. The concrete outer layer, however, really isn't absolutely necessary. A family without rural property can carry in the family car sufficient empty sand bags to construct this shelter during the last few hours. Just don't forget the shovel.

Offered by Ron.