Rammed earth Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Rammed Earth is an old building material that has seen a revival in recent years as people seek low-impact building materials.Walls are constructed from a mixture of earth that has suitable proportions of sand and clay with an added stabiliser. Traditionally animal blood was used to stabilise the material, but cement is used in modern times.
Formwork is set up creating the desired shape of the section of wall, damp material is poured in to a depth of approximately 250mm (10 inches). A pneumatically powered backfill tamper - something like a pogo stick with a flat plate on the bottom - is then used to compact the material to around 50% of its original height.
A further layer of material is added and the process is repeated until the wall has reached the desired height.
Rammed earth often used for homes in a desert climate due to the nature of the material. Rammed earth is not a good insulator. It just has lots of heat mass. Therefore it is not useful in cold climates because the heat stored in the wall goes right outside and makes the home almost impossible to heat. It's useful in the desert because it acts is a buffer for the heat from the sun during the day and releases the heat at night.
Rammed Earth - The Australian Connection - A good description with photos can be found at this Australia Rammed Earth site. This is an Article on Rammed earth. Page Contains Information, Facts Details or Explanation Guide About Rammed earth See also
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