What Is Rammed Earth Construction and Why Is It Cost-Effective

Some of the more traditional and still very valid forms of construction are today being adopted in modern sustainable architecture such as rammed earth construction.

Being durable, cheap and environmentally friendly, rammed earth is gaining popularity in its search for an environmentally feasible construction material.

This blog explores what rammed earth construction is, what makes the technique special, and why it is cheap.

Understanding Rammed Earth Construction

Understanding and historical background

Rammed earth building entails the systematic packing of a soil-sand-clay mortar between vertical or near vertical formwork to produce work of wall-like characteristics.

Adapting the materials and structures technique has been in existence for thousands of years and applied in Great Wall of China, some structures in Africa and Europe among others.

Today, this traditional method is being revisited by engineering them with today’s modern techniques for construction of sustainable and durable structures.

Construction Process & Products

The construction begins with selecting the appropriate type of soil by combining clay, sand and silt particles in right proportion.

This mix is then placed in layers within a temporary frame or mold chosen by the client and designed by the architect.

Each layer is then compacted comprehensively, by mechanical tampers typically, to develop intensive and solid walls.

This is done until the giver reaches his/her desired height of the customer and thus complete the entire process.

The final product is a concrete load bearing wall with substantial capabilities of thermal mass and natural insulation.

The use of locally available soil can also bring far more improvements consistent with the method’s cost efficiency as it minimizes on transport cost of the material.

Why Rammed Earth Construction Is Gaining Popularity

Sustainability and Eco Friendly

Rammed earth construction can therefore be viewed as perfectly compatible with the ideas of Sustainable Development.

Rammed earth does not require any of the manufacturing processes used in the production of most constructional materials like bricks and concrete which have high carbon footprints.

This decreases the levels of greenhouse emission and energy making it suitable for environmentally sensitive construction.

Thermal Properties as well as Energy Efficiency

With regard to characteristics, it is worth singling out the excellent thermal conversion coefficient of rammed earth.

Thick and heavy walls help to retain heat during the day and to emit heat during the night thus proving the equipment for air conditioning.

They pointed out that this property will prevent warming and cooling primarily by an ac, meaning will save the energy plus the ordinary utility bills.

Overall, it saves a lot of costs in homeowners hence increasing the cost effectiveness of the method over time.

The Cost-Effectiveness of Rammed Earth Construction

Lower Material and Labor Costs

Rammed earth construction costs less than many other construction methods many factors make rammed earth construction cheaper.

The main component of the structures – soil, usually does not have to be transported, since it is usually locally accessible.

Further, although the process is still very much hand driven, it is not necessarily talent or skill specific.

This can help lower general cost of work especially where the basic structures are to be made from raw materials found in the community at large where civil construction may be above reasonable rates.

Durability and low maintenance.

Traditional rammed earth structures are resistant to most forms of climatic variation ranging from high temperatures to cold climatic conditions.

Consequently, their time spans of requirement are much more extended even than normal architecture; therefore, long-term maintenance expenses are more suitable.

These structures does not need often maintenance or reinforcement that costly in the future, and this is beneficial to homeowners.

Stability is also not an issue and neither is challenges by pests and fire when the rammed earth walls are sealed well round the needed years of low maintenance.

Challenges and Considerations in Rammed Earth Construction

Primary Input Usage and Skill Demand

That said, rammed earth construction has its positives with its negatives explained below. The early stages of construction may require a lot of workforce in order to complete a project particularly huge structures.

However, one must not necessarily look for expert employees, as is evidenced by auto mechanics; however, an understanding of the process is necessary, such as achieving the correct composition of the soil and achieving an adequate level of its densification.

This can occasionally may be in form of other training or supervision that may take some time before yielding cost saving which may lead to an increase in initial costs.

Weather and Climate Constraints

Durability of rammed earth construction. Facilitated by climatic condition various climatic factors play an important role in the process of rammed earth construction.

For example, regions that have very many rain showers will need some unique treatment on the surface in order to prevent the formation of leaks which will in turn affect the building.

Likewise, the very humid climates may require stronger stabilizers in order to avoid moisture being taken up.

Of course, these extra steps may bring some costs up, but, without them, the structure of building would not be strong enough and it would not last for a long time.

Conclusion

Rammed earth construction has been known for centuries and the technique is gaining popularity in today’s construction mainly because it is cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

Fundamentally, the advantages of rammed earth are that it employs reusable natural materials and relatively straightforward construction techniques to build sustainable, low-energy homes at a relatively low cost.

Its merits therefore include low material cost, time required to build this kind of home as well as energy issues thus making it possible for people who want to construct sound homes and houses that are also environmental friendly to gain a lot in terms of costs.

Now that people are increasingly embracing green building practices, rammed earth might just be the key to cheap, sustainable building in the future.

Also read: Natural Building Materials for Sustainable Architecture