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TheuseofferrocementinCuba.
Atthemiddleofthedecadeof1960,inCubawasexpoundedthenecessitytodevelopafishing
fleet
that
could
satisfy
the
necessity
of
the
growing
demands
of
the
country
for
the
exploitationof the sea resources. Then, itwasnecessary to substitute theold fishing ships
made of wood, because wood was scarce in Cuba and has to be imported from other
countries,andneithertherewasnotexperienceintheconstructionofsteelships,anddidnot
existed qualified workers for this type of construction, and neither existed a siderurgical
industrytoguarantythenecessarysteel.
In1967,
in
our
land
were
known
the
results
obtained
by
the
ships
construction
with
ferrocementinNewZealandandinCanadaanditwasdecidedtobuildasimilarprototypeto
onemadeofwoodnamedFCI thatwas finished in1969,andonce that itwasat thesea it
displacedmore thatwascalculated,and thisdefectwasproduceddue to theweightof the
hull. Thisandotherproblemsweredetectedduringthesailingandtheycausedthattheship
didnotfulfiltheestablishedrequirementsbythenauticalrules,anditwasthecausethatnot
othertypewasconstructed.
Afterthe
analysis
of
the
obtained
results
with
the
FC
Ia
new
design
was
implemented
that
begantobebuiltintheyears19701972andwithitwereobtainedbettermarineconditions.
Starting from1970,under thedirectionoftheauthor,beganasearchingprogramaboutthe
characteristic of the ferrocement that ended in 1973 with the testing to natural scale of
prototypeship,theFCIV and for itweretaken inmindthe formerexperiencesandthefact
theitcouldrepresentaqualitativejumpintheconstructionoffishingships. Itscharacteristic
were:
Length: 18.25m
Beam (Wide): 5.40m
Maximum draught: 1.90m
Depthofhold(height): 2.50m
Displacement: 70t
Motivepower: 300HP
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Theobtainedresultsallowedtoapprovetheconstruction inseriesofthe,FCIV(Fig. l.3l)and
establishedthebasesforastructuralsolutionoftheshipsbuiltwithferrocement thathasto
beconstructedinCuba, becauseuptothismoment,onlytheexperiencethatwasnomuch
determined
the
dimensions
and
the
reinforcement
to
be
used.
Startingfrom
1974,
new
models
of
fishing
ships
ships
to
fish
fishes
with
flake,
langoustier
andtunafish hasbeenconstructedinourland,andalsoshipsfortherecreation,
transportationandfishingsports,etc.(Figs.1.32,1.33and1.34).
Fig. 1.31 Barco de pesca F.IV. Fig. 1.32 Barco de pasajeros. Ro Canmar, Matanzas, Cuba.
Fig. 1.34 Cabaas fl otantes para campismo,
Ro Canmar, Matanzas, Cuba.Fig. 1.33 Barco de pasajeros. Cienfuegos, Cuba.
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reservoir,monuments, pontoom and tanks that have been built in different provinces and
have obtained satisfied results by the Ministry of Sugar (MINAZ) with the advising of the
authorinthereconstructionwithferrocementofmetallictanksof800to5000m3.(Figs.1.38,
1.39,
1.40,
1.41).
However,
the
most
significant
and
numerous
are
the
building
of
houses,
swimmingpools,reservoirs,worksforurbanhouseholdgoodsandfiguresofanimalsofgreat
dimensions. En1984,itwasbuiltthefirstswimmingpoolofferrocementinCuba,designedby
theauthorandbuiltinVilaLoma,JIbacoabeachbytheEmpresaPlayasdelEstedelaHabana
(EnterpriseBeachesoftheEastofHavana). Theswimmingpoolhas25x12.5mandinitsmore
deeper part 1.80m depth, with a thickness of 25mm in the walls that are formed with
prefabricatedpanelsand20mminthebottombuiltwithconcreteinsitu(Figs1.42and1.43).
Thetotal
cost
was
almost
seven
times
lower
than
one
built
with
reinforced
concrete
with
same
size. Since then,many swimming pools have been built in the country and is planned to
increaseittoallthepopularcampingbasesandrecreationcentersthatrequiresit(seechapter
6).
In1982,intheBaconaoParkintheprovinceofSantiagodeCubabegantheconstructionofthe
ValledelaPrehistoria(ValleyofthePrehistory),wheretoanaturalscalehasbeenbuilt,upto
now,more
than
hundred
sculptures
of
prehistoric
animals
work
of
the
sculptor
Dagoberto
Morenothathavel2mhighandl8mlarge(Figs.1.44,1.45,1.46,1.47,and1.48). Thistypeof
workofgreatdimensionshasbeenemployed forgiving atmosphere toother zonesof the
parkthathasbecomeoneofthe focusoftouristattractionsmore important intheprovince
andwithoutdoubt,inthefutureforallthecountry.
Fig. 1.37. Patana prefabricada de ferrocementoterminada. Habana, Cuba.
Fig. 1.38. Monumento en honor al general Anton io Maceo.
San Pedro de Puntabrava, Cuba.
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Fig. 1.39 Depsitos de agua de pequeacapacidad, Ciudad de La Habana.
Fig . 1.40. Reconstruccin tanque de acerout ili zando ferrocemento Pinar del Ro, Cuba.
Fig. 1.41. Cubierta terminal area.SantiagodeCuba,Cuba. Fig. 1.42. Piscina de Jibacoa enconstruccin.LaHabana Cuba.
Fig. 1.43. Piscina de Jibacoa terminada. LaHabana,Cuba.
Fig. 1.44. Valle de la Prehistoria.Baconao,SantiagodeCuba.
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In1986,theferrocementbegantobeused intheconstructionofeconomicshouses. InApril
wasbuiltthefirstexperimentalandinOctober,thefirstvillageinthetouristplanBaconaoof
the province of Santiago de Cuba. This positive experience was spread quickly to other
Fig. 1.45. Valle de la Prehistoria. Baconao,SantiagodeCuba. Fig.1.46.ValledelaPrehistoria.Baconao.Rocasy
avesprehistricas.SantiagodeCuba,Cuba.
Fig.1.47ValledelaPrehistoriadeBaconao.Hombre.SantiagodeCuba,Cuba. Fig. 1.48. Valle de la Prehistoria deBaconao.Fig. 1.47. Valle de la Prehistoria de Baconao.Hombre. Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.
Fig. 1.48. Valle de la Prehistoria de Baconao.Cafetera en roca. Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.
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provincesof the country, above all toCamaguey,Cienfuegos,PinardelRioand LaHabana,
where an industrial technology has been implemented with highly satisfactory results in
houseswithone,twoorthreestories(Figs.1.49,1.50and1.51).(Seechapter6).
Fig. 1.49. Primera vivienda de ferrocementoconstruidaenPinardelRo.Cuba.
Fig.1.50.Edificioprefabricadode ferrocementoparaviviendas.PinardelRo,Cuba.
Fig. 1.51. Vivienda biplanta de ferrocemento enconstruccin.Baconao,SantiagodeCuba.
