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Low-tech versus high-technological solutions for a pandemic-adaptable society
Published in Sarah Sayce, Sara Wilkinson, Gillian Armstrong, Samantha Organ, Resilient Building Retrofits, 2023
Sara Wilkinson, Samantha Organ
Globally, there has been a range of earth-based construction adopted historically such as cob, clay lump and adobe. Variations of types, mixes and techniques were seen not just between countries but also regionally and locally. Rammed earth walls are formed by ramming selected aggregates: sand, silt, gravel and clay into place between flat panels known as formwork. Traditionally, construction workers repeatedly rammed the end of a wooden pole into the earth mixture to compress it; hence the name ‘rammed earth’. Nowadays the pole has been superseded with a mechanical ram. Even so, it is perceived as a low-tech option, adopting traditional materials and methods of construction, working with the site and the climate.
Bioconstruction and Harmonic Complexity of Biomimicry Organisms
Published in Jacqueline A. Stagner, David S-K. Ting, Green Energy and Infrastructure, 2020
Gabriel Barbeta, Yomna Abdallah
Despite the ease of construction with CEB, and even greater ease for curved walls (Figure 11.5), it was decided to also use earth from the site as an ecological gesture. Using earth from the excavation site to build walls is certainly one way to minimize the impact of construction. Also, reviving the rammed earth technique seemed like a good option given the local traditions and the type of wall that was to be built. The walls have been rammed using a manual tamper. The rammed earth is composed of several layers of earth roughly 15 cm thick, poured into a curved formwork (wooden), and rammed with a rammer (manual or pneumatic). After compaction, each layer is 8–10 cm thick. This procedure is repeated until completion of the wall, as exhibited in Figure 11.13.
Materials
Published in Bjørn N. Sandaker, Arne P. Eggen, Mark R. Cruvellier, The Structural Basis of Architecture, 2019
Bjørn N. Sandaker, Arne P. Eggen, Mark R. Cruvellier
The materials of rammed earth construction and its low-tech manufacturing process are environmentally friendly, with quite low embodied energy; the material also has a high potential for eventually being recycled.
The Use of Contact Sponge Method to Measure Water Absorption in Earthen Heritage Treated with Water Repellents
Published in International Journal of Architectural Heritage, 2022
Telma Ribeiro, Daniel V. Oliveira, Susanna Bracci
Using earth as a construction material is a millenary practice. Vernacular architecture, as well as archaeological sites found in North Africa, Middle East or South America show how ancient civilizations used earth to build houses and monuments (Fratini et al. 2011). Many different types of earthen construction technologies (e.g. adobe and rammed earth) have been developed based on locally available materials (e.g. soil, sand, lime, natural fibers) and traditional know-how (Schroeder 2016). Adobe, also known as mudbrick, consists in molding a mixture of soil and water (workable enough to be molded) within a brick shape and is left to dry under the sun. In turn, rammed earth involves compacting soil into wooden formworks (Figure 1) (Rocha 2015). So, different earthen building techniques can be found all around the world according to the geographical location, type of soils and local weather conditions (Houben and Hubert 1989).
Axial Load-Capacity of Bamboo-Steel Reinforced Cement Stabilised Rammed Earth Columns
Published in Structural Engineering International, 2019
Deb Dulal Tripura, Konjengbam Darunkumar Singh
Although rammed earth is one of the oldest building techniques, growing interest in this technology can be seen in many parts of the world due to its varied sustainability benefits, such as the availability of raw materials on site and low embodied energy. Besides rammed earth, bamboo has also gained popularity as a reinforcing material in rammed earth elements, such as walls and columns, in order to enhance its load-capacity and seismic performance. Due to ever-growing demand for rammed earth structures because of its sustainability benefits, the historical simplified geometric rules/approach is not always sufficient, as modern building designers seek to use earth materials in increasingly challenging and innovative ways (Ref. [1], see also Fig. 1a and b).
The sustainability of adobe construction: past to future
Published in International Journal of Architectural Heritage, 2019
Cristiana Costa, Ângela Cerqueira, Fernando Rocha, Ana Velosa
Rammed earth is a mixture of sand, gravel and soil (and sometimes lime is used to improve mechanical resistance) and construction is performed by using the rammed material and compacting it in layers between formworks (Jaquin et al. 2009). The soil in these constructions is normally found in mountainous areas and rivers, where it is possible to find sand, silt, and clay together (Jaquin 2012). This technique is based on the experience of local practitioners (Beckett and Augarde 2012), and it has been in use for thousands of years. There are therefore many historic structures constructed with rammed earth, such as the Potala Palace in Tibet and the Alhambra (rammed earth with lime) in Granada, Spain (Jaquin et al. 2009).