Fearful? Frugal!
I am almost ready to begin construction on my new home. It will be constructed of concrete walls, and floors. The front fascia will have lots of glass, in the form of a trombe wall. It is facing south. The roof is to be prestressed concrete twin-I beams 10 ft x 60 ft. The entire structure, when completed with have a total 23,000 sq ft of floor space obn three levels, with a 158,000 gallon aquarium in the center. The aquarium water will be solar heated to around 76 degrees, and will become a heat sink for the entire structure. Interior construction will be post and beam. Ventilation is the biggest challenge, and dehumidification imperative. I only have a back fire escape stairwell to get outside on the other sides.
I am borrowing a mobile concrete plant and making my own concrete. I have knowledgeable crews to place it, using plasticizers for placement mobility. I will be getting 7-8000# breaks overnight. I will save probably $200k on construction costs, there, alone.
I am purchasing the twin-I's for $4500 each, delivered to my site on the side of the mountain, and erected. I am spending a lot of money for concrete, but will have a structure which my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandchildren can enjoy. It has been placed into a family trust, with a foundation established for charitable purposes (and associated tax breaks).
I know a lot about concrete construction, and real-world placement. The cost of your project would reap great benefits for the architectural firm (that good old 10%), but little for the users. I know you are in love with the idea, and can assure me of its supposed practicality. But, it would never function the way you suggest.
I drive on a lot of Interstate highways. I have homes in four states, from NC to AZ and NM. I reside most of the time in WV. I detest concrete roadways, because of the constant blip-blip-blip, and the associated bumps. Even with my Lincoln, it can be like a roller coaster, at times.
though projected as more duraable than asphalt, the chipping of the freeze/thaw cycles and road salts quickly take their toll.
In addition, most of the roads and bridges I see constructed with accelerants, and heat generating chemicals, start deteriorating VERY fast. The QC guys don't look at the placement properly, and the surface waters mix with the cement to make a very fragile surface. It quickly cracks and spalds.
I can't imagine how piano hinges would have kept those bridge panels in place. I know the concept, but here again, is an application problem. If you anchor one side, the flex action would destroy the entire structure. Be allowing them to break free, the bridge has been quickly restored to it sfunction.
I know concrete, and I know people. The project would become full time employment for too many people. Even the lawyers would jump onto that one...
