Structural Concerns with Rammed Earth. Our time ddlc mod. Clifton Schooley is a green building professional specializing in insulated rammed earth construction and architectural design in Canada and worldwide. His vision is to create environments that are beautiful, artistic, sustainable and have a positive social impact. In the recent past, rammed earth construction techniques have gained a renewed interest across the world, due to its varied sustainable benefits such as availability of local material (soil on.
Rammed Earth. Rammed Earth is an over 2,000 year-old construction technique. It is used for building walls and floors with raw materials of the earth i.e. Clay, gravel and sand. These materials are mixed together and then rammed in a form work.
Jan 01, 2012 This chapter provides an overview of modern rammed earth construction techniques, with a particular emphasis on current practices in the United states. It describes all of the key steps in constructing rammed earth wall systems, recognizing the myriad alternative approaches that exist for every part of the process.
Essential Rammed Earth Construction covers design, building science, tools, and step-by-step building methods for any climate, with a special emphasis on building in cold climates of the northern US, Canada, and northern Europe. Coverage includes: Overview of earthen building; Appropriate use of rammed earth walls; Stabilized versus raw rammed.
According to UNEP, buildings stand for 40% of global energy consumption and contribute up to 30% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Their report also confirmed that the building sector has the most potential for delivering significant and cost-effective GHG emission reduction.
“Countries will not meet emission reduction targets without supporting energy efficiency gains in the building sector.” – UNEP Cement is 14% of global human CO2 production.
According to the IPCC, for every tonne cement produced, one and a quarter tonnes of CO2 are released.
Considering that a majority of buildings’ GHG emissions are primarily from the use of fossil fuel during their operational phase, it is clear that there is a need to address not only the impacts of actually constructing building, but also using them. We need solutions that don’t tackle one problem at a time, but a holistic approach to our global challenges.
It is possible for rammed earth constructions to carry large loads, up to three or four stories high, but not skyscrapers. So why aren’t we saving the cement and steel for skyscrapers and using rammed earth for other housing, clinics, schools and business uses?
ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE
Rammed earth is one of the most sustainable materials available. It has around 70% reduction in embodied energy compared to bricks, a high thermal mass, and as our modular formwork system can be removed and reused during several decades we also produce minimal waste during the construction phase. There’s further no firing process, resulting in zero kilns, zero toxic emissions and zero greenhouse gases.
HIGH THERMAL MASS
Our energy efficient rammed earth walls of minimum 30 cm thickness provides great protection from extremes in climates. The walls collect heat from the sun during daylight hours and release the warmth during the night, when the outside temperature sinks, which makes for a very slow heat/cold penetration. This allows the internal temperature to remain stable, with warmer feelings during the winter and cooler in the summer than outside temperatures. An economic and environmental advantage.
FAST BUILD-TIME
Rammed Earth Diy
Rammed Earth Construction Techniques Pictures
30 years of optimising our rammed earth construction process allow us to build faster than brick walling. The walls are built as a series of independent “monolith panels” made using pneumatically compacted layers of blended quarry aggregates, cement and waterproofing admixtures. We use specialised ‘Stabilform’ formwork that is stripped each following day to reveal massive, beautiful and durable walls.
LOAD BEARING
Our strong rammed earth walls are load bearing and don’t need any core filling, reinforcing or other structural framing. The massive structural panels add substantial bracing to the fabric of a building and can withstand significant point loads such as roof beams, verandah beams, floor beams and bracing beams. Rammed earth constructions around the world are still standing more than 1,000 years later, e.g. the Alhambra in Grenada in Spain and sections of the Great Wall of China.
DESIGN ASSISTANCE
We work closely with architects, designers, structural engineers and builders in order to provide the most current advice available to help achieve ideal rammed earth construction outcomes. Our assistance is free and covers structural design, projects scheduling and cost estimates for both residential and commercial buildings.
MAINTENANCE FREE
Our rammed earth walls are maintenance free and have a unique off-form finish as they express sedimentary compaction lines that inform a simple and natural texture for which the material is famous. There is no need to finish with plaster, wallpaper or tiles, saving both energy and money during construction and throughout the life of the building.
NON-TOXIC
Rammed Earth Structures
Walls built with rammed earth are non-toxic and non-polluting, which creates safe and people-friendly homes. By eliminating the chemicals found in some conventional building materials and substituting them with the natural, “breathing” earth walls, the air quality is improved. This is particularly important in our time when more and more people are susceptible to allergies and other airborne toxins.
FIRE & TERMITE PROOF
Termites and other pests aren’t concerned with rammed earth and as the walls are load bearing, the amount of termite-friendly timber is low. On top of that, our walls have a 4-hour fire rating.
Rammed Earth Construction Techniques For Sale
LET US TAKE YOU ON A VIRTUAL TOUR AND SHOW YOU HOW WE BUILD WITH RAMMED EARTH.