In Tanzania, as elsewhere, the soil has been the basic construction material for houses for centuries. Walls constructed out of the soil, if well compacted. have adequate compressive strength under dry conditions. However, they will Jose strength under adverse moisture movements. Alternate wetting and drying will erode and deteriorate the walls. All soils can be improved by adding a stabilizer, the most commonly used stabilizer being cement. When the right soil is available, soil-cement is a permanent building material. Many workers in the field of low-cost housing have raised the possibility of using soil cement as a building material (refs 2, 5, 6, and 9). In fact, several housing schemes have been completed employing this material for walls, foundations, or floors in various parts of the world. However, after many years of research and development. it still finds only limited use in the construction of low-cost durable shelters.