Traditional Rammed Earth Construction Techniques Can Enhance Building Sustainability

Rammed earth construction is an old building approach currently being investigated by researchers at an academic institution to improve the buildings' environmental sustainability. This technique has reportedly increased the quality of structures and can withstand environmental conditions that are both hot and cold.

(Photo : Pexels/Denniz Futalan)

Enhance Building Sustainability Through Rammed Earth Construction

Researchers are currently trying to enhance the sustainability of contemporary architecture by turning to the past. Through research into conventional rammed earth structures and experimental exploration of novel materials and processes, they are discovering methods to improve the structural integrity, longevity, and visual attractiveness of rammed earth buildings.

Rammed earth construction is an approach that employs environmentally accessible materials that function as substitutes for cement, including wood fly ash, which is generated as a by-product in coal-fired power plants and pulp mills. According to Dr. Sumi Siddiua, who works in the School of Engineering at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, the construction industry has been looking for ways to put materials like fly ash, often disposed of in landfills, to good use.

Fly ash, more accurately defined as a fine powder, is comparable to cement's strength and texture. Cement is sometimes added to concrete to increase the material's strength. Utilizing local soil in conjunction with items made of rammed earth helps to limit the amount of sand that is extracted. 

On the other hand, builders are looking for inexpensive, widely available materials, just as firm as the cement of the next generation. This is because there is a shortage of building sand on a global scale, which is very different from the sand that is found on beaches. Thus, test results indicate that fly ash improves the properties of structures and renders them suitable for implementation as carrying loads, non-load-bearing, and isolation panel walls in both cold and humid climates in most cases. Along with its increased insulating capabilities, fly ash also has the additional benefit of being accessible in geographically isolated communities.

The incorporation of elements such as fly ash into composite cement has already begun, despite Dr. Siddiqua not anticipating a significant increase in the number of rammed earth dwellings and buildings built in the near future. Nevertheless, it may reportedly be the way of the future in the construction industry.

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How Rammed Earth Construction is made?

Traditional building practices can be replaced with rammed earth construction, a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative. As academics continue to investigate its potential, we anticipate seeing more architectural designs that are forward-thinking and ecologically sensitive, and that draw influence from the past.

Rammed earth construction refers to pushing wet soil composed of aggregate, sand, silt, clay, and gravel into a formwork. After that, the mixture is crushed into a solid, and once it has dried, the formwork is removed, revealing monolithic walls.

The formwork must be robust enough to withstand the forces generated by ramming the soil. In addition to this, they should be simple to put together and take apart. Dryers and hotter regions of the world were the ones that made this technology the norm. When working with rammed earth, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of the weather and the region where the construction will be constructed.

Also, it is recommended that the technology be used in humid conditions with moderate temperatures. In regions that experience considerable rainfall, rammed earth walls require more excellent protection from the rain, but in areas that experience cold weather, the walls' insulation needs to be increased.

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