Seasteading New Nations Becomes a Practical Engineering Challenge 12-27-13
First posted 11-11-10:
When it's time to railroad, there will be sailboats...
Some of you may remember my discussion from the mid-1990s about how to create artificial islands. My idea was to use air-entrained concrete full of Kevlar fiber to form large (50 x 50 foot) hex-pads with six keyed faces interlocking to other pads from the bottom up so that buoyancy and gravity hold them in place.
These pads would be weighted down then moved into place before releasing the ballast forcing the pad into a vertical lock with the existing structure. Working from the center out, the structure would be locally rigid but flex over a longer run. This would allow them to support buildings, a runway and even lagoons. The effect over a mile or so would be like scum floating on the water. It would give a bit but dampen any waves.
The plan would be to stack more locking layers under the larger buildings to support more weight. As building increased, more hex-pads would be lower into position under the keyed structure. The top would reflect what was under the water in a balance between weight and buoyancy.
The plan was to place the island in the doldrums, but to have some maneuverability using "keel" of hex-pads underneath and a "fin" of buildings above to act as a rigid sail. The theory was to create a dynamic which would allow for VERY slow sailing when needed, maybe even the ability to sail slightly upwind.
These guys have a more grand and green design and say little about the structure. My plan was to make it large enough to land a 737 and grow some veggies for a military base or vacation resort for hire - politically independent, of course.
Green Float Design
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