CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

• The formwork is constantly removed and placed on the next set of horizontal timbers where the process is
repeated. Once the formwork has been moved on, the horizontal timbers are removed from the wall leaving
characteristic holes. Upon completion of one horizontal level the formwork is moved vertically, the mass of standing
wall being known as a lift.
• The wall is so solid that, if desired, the forms can be removed immediately. This is necessary if wire brushing to
reveal texture is desired otherwise walls become too hard to brush after around 60 minutes.
• Walls take some time to dry out completely, but this does not prevent further work on the project.
FORMWORK BRACING TECHNIQUES
 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
REINFORCEMENT PROPORTIONS • Rammed earth walls have low tensile
strength, and should be reinforced by
providing a bond or collar beam.
• Beams can be constructed of concrete,
wood or steel.
• Vertical reinforcing may also be done,
and may be required by some building
officials.
• All openings in rammed earth walls, such as
windows and doors, must have lintels to
span the opening width.
• Water flow and moisture control is
critical to protect structural walls. Special
detailing to accommodate manufactured
windows may be necessary to accommodate
wall thickness.
 • All openings for doors and windows will require a frame.
Wood, as opposed to metal, is recommended due to the
corrosive action of moisture from the soil material.
• Careful attention to bothroof and opening details is
necessary to protect the structure from water damage.
• Foundations required by most codes are concrete
reinforced with steel.
• Soil block material may be used as a filler material
between piers of a reinforced concrete pier and beam
foundation.
• Historically, many structures built with earth materials had no
sand and gravel foundations. The
foundation, or used
latter are excavated trenches filled with two parts sand to
three parts gravel. Trench bottoms were graded to provide
positive drainage.
• Soil material block should not be used in below grade walls
OPENING PROPORTIONS unless supported on both sides. Natural moisture from the
ground may infiltrate the block, resulting in reduced
compressive strength.
BAMBOO REINFORCED RAMMED EARTH
• A Rammed earth wall is erected over a bamboo reinforced
monolithic stone foundation, using a special T-shaped steel slip
form.
• The 31 inch wide wall sections are rammed continuously until the
final wall height is reached so that no horizontal shrinkage cracks can
occur.
• ¾ inch gap to provide
Each section is separated by a for
independent movement during seismic activity.

• Four vertical bamboo rods act as

reinforcement for the wall sections, and together
with the gap give sufficient stability against
horizontal loads created by seismic activity.
• The bamboo is interconnected with the
reinforcement of the foundation as well as with the
ring beam that connects the tops of all the wall
sections.
 BENEFITS OF RAMMED EARTH
• Reduced CO2 Emissions • Fire Resistance
• Thermal Mass • Pest Resistance
• Noise Reduction • Cost Effective
• Strength • Rapid Construction
• Durability • Environmentally Friendly
• Low Maintenance
CO2 Emissions
• Using rammed earth as a construction material
greatly reduces the amount of CO2 released during the
construction of the building.
• The manufacture of cement requires the burning of
limestone and produces CO2 as a waste product.
• Around 10% of global CO2 emissions are from the
cement industry.
• In using soil taken directly from the site, there is no
transport requirement, directly reducing CO2
emissions and taking vehicles off the road.
Thermal Performance
• The high thermal mass of rammed earth walls mean they
act to naturally regulate the internal
temperature of a building.
• If a rammed earth wall is designed into the heating
system of a structure, the energy required to both heat
and cool the building can be greatly reduced, which
further reduces the CO2 emissions of the building.
• Rammed earth naturally regulates the internal
relative humidity of the building, producing an
improved air quality.
• This contrasts greatly with air conditioning systems,
which act to dry the air in a building and contribute to
harsh working and living environment.
Structural Performance
• Rammed earth is perfectly able to act as
load bearing members within a
structural system.
• The strength of dry,
un-stabilized rammed earth is
close to 1MPa.

• The strength and stiffness of

the material reduce greatly
with increasing water
content, and thus the building must
be well designed in order to
maximize the structural
potential of the rammed earth.
Embodied Energy Feasibility
• Rammed earth complies
• The inherent recycle-ablility with Building Regulations
of rammed earth, and the for insulation,
reduction in CO2 emissions during
the lifetime of the structure, the strength, water
high thermal mass and thus low resistance, fire and
operating costs all mean that acoustics.
rammed earth has a much lower
embodied energy than comparable • Not all soils are suitable
building materials. for use as rammed earth.
The soil must be
compacted at a particular
water content to
ensure optimum
compaction, and this
water content should be
predetermined before
construction begins.
• Structural design of
rammed earth buildings is
usually very simple, with
walls acting in
compression, but
detailing is important to
ensure the rammed earth
is used to its maximum
potential.
 GREEN BUILDINGS
Vineyard Residence
Victoria, Australia
• Architect: John Wardle Architects
• Completion: 2002
• Area: 400 m2

• Rammed Earth Walls angling outward evokes

the impression of continuing into the landscape.
• Cross ventilation is achieved throughout all the
areas, between the walls.
Center for Gravity Foundation Hall • The thick Rammed Earth Walls act as thermal
Jemez Springs, New Mexico composites, keeping unwanted summer heat out during
the day and re-radiating it at night.
• Architects: H. Predock, J. Frane
• Cooling is achieved thru cross ventilation by opening the
• Completion: 2003
sliding panels to the east and the entry doors to the west.
• Area: 279 m2
• In the winter, heat is generated by geothermal water.
Chapel of Reconciliation
Berlin, Germany
• Architect: Reitermann + Sassenroth
• Completion: 2000
• Area: 315 m2
• The interior is of oval shape, and is
delimited by a rammed earth wall 7.2m
in height and .6m in thickness.
• The Rammed Earth wall contains large
fragments of broken brick from the
former church, as well as gravel, which
together constitutes 55% of the
material. coarse-grained
This
mixture reduces material
shrinkage to only .15%.
• The admixture of flax fibers and
intensive compaction with a tamping
roller was able to produce a
compressive strength of
3.2N/mm2.