RAMMED EARTH CONSTRUCTION
By
Mud Hands
Earth Architecture
ECO- FRIENDLY DESIGN- BUILDING WITH EARTH
Today, cities are huge guzzlers of energy and construction activities are one of the largest culprits to the high energy consumption.
In this context, it is urgent to find an eco-friendly alternative choice of building material that can cut down the negative impact on our
planet. Earth is a versatile material to build from — easily available, low embodied energy and keeps the building thermally comfortable. There is no need to ‘BUY’ your building materials; it is available on every site.
With all its advantages, building with earth is still uncommon in our cities and is looked down upon as kuccha or non durable.
Factually, some of the oldest and strongest buildings are built of earth. Building with earth is an ancient and time tested model.
Unfortunately, a psychological barrier prevents people to adopt this versatile material. Stabilized rammed earth construction can be used instead where the earth is stabilized with a small percentage of cement, lime or a mix of both. The soil available on the site is subjected to a series of tests to determine the strength and arrive at a percentage of stabilizer.
The earth is rammed within a sturdy formwork or mould of required dimensions. The ramming process can be done manually using a rammer or mechanically as well. The wall is constructed layer wise and the formwork is shifted above the finished wall to form the next wall layer.
There is no need for cement mortar because the entire wall is one monolithic unit, not separate blocks. The rammed earth takes the form of our formwork and hence it is easy to create curved and straight walls alike.
Rammed earth has a very low embodied energy, i.e., energy consumed by all of the processes associated with the production of a product, from the mining and processing of natural resources to manufacturing, transport and product delivery. The soil excavated in preparing the building’s foundation can be used if it is found suitable for construction. The cost and energy consumption for transportation is minimal.
Unlike people working hands on with cement, who are susceptible to skin problems, building with earth is non-toxic and hence is good for the people working hands on at site and the people inhabiting the building later on.
One of the significant benefits of rammed earth is its high thermal mass, it can absorb heat during the day and release it at night. This moderates daily temperature variations and reduces the need for air-conditioning and heating. Rammed earth construction is termite-resistant, non-toxic, inherently fireproof and ultimately biodegradable.
The rustic and natural finish of rammed earth is aesthetically appealing and it requires no further painting thus saving on regular maintenance. A mass shift to earth construction and the decline of energy intensive techniques is much needed today.
Build with earth- The building emerges from the site- When demolished dies into the site. Recyclable-Reusable!
The soil excavated in preparing the building’s foundation can be used if it is found suitable for construction. The cost and energy consumption for transportation is minimal. The earth is stabilized with 5% to 7% of either cement or a mix of lime and cement. It is durable and resistant to weathering. The soil available is subjected to a series of tests to determine the strength and arrive at a percentage of stabilizer.
The mud hands is an architecture design firm which promotes building with mud.
Contact Details:
Mud Hands
Earth Architecture
#549, 26th main, 14th cross, J.P.Nagar-I-Phase, Bangalore. 560078
Email :contact@mudhands.com
Phone: 080 266 53 660, +91 9535 085 666
