10-08-2009, 03:25 AM
I am interested as well. I keep coming back to this idea but also I wonder if I am just getting stuck on some idea I think is "cool" without it having any real merit.
It seems that if you have to build a strong foundation for the tank and another for the house, you might as well just build one extra strong foundation and put the house n top of the tank. That was my original thought, to have one big tank below supporting at least part of the house if the tank isn't large enough to cover the whole footprint of the house. I have also thought of having four large silo-like tanks at the four corners of the house. I like that idea but I can see that the engineering for seisic loads could get really complicated. A tank full of water is really heavy.
Anyway I am curious about any and all variations on the theme.
It seems that if you have to build a strong foundation for the tank and another for the house, you might as well just build one extra strong foundation and put the house n top of the tank. That was my original thought, to have one big tank below supporting at least part of the house if the tank isn't large enough to cover the whole footprint of the house. I have also thought of having four large silo-like tanks at the four corners of the house. I like that idea but I can see that the engineering for seisic loads could get really complicated. A tank full of water is really heavy.
Anyway I am curious about any and all variations on the theme.