Rammed Earth Construction

Rammed Earth Construction Rammed Earth is essentially Sedimentary Rock. It is formed in minutes by Mechanically Compacting Prepared Dirt. The Compaction may be Done Manually with a Hammer like Device, with a lever operated Brick making Press, Pneumatically with an Air Driven Tamping Tool. Power Tampers not only Compresses the Soil, but it also Vibrates the Dirt Particles, Shifting them into the most Tightly Packed Arrangement. When Finished, Rammed Earth is about as strong as Concrete.

Rammed Earth Advantages: Houses Built of Rammed Earth have advantages over Wood Frame Construction. The Walls are Fireproof, Rot Resistant and Impervious to Termites. The solid, 18-24 in (45.72-60.96 cm) thick Walls are nearly Sound Proof. The massive Walls help maintain a Comfortable Temperature within the House, Damping Temperature Swings that Normally occur on hot summer days or cold winter. When designed and oriented to take the best advantage of Solar energy, a Rammed Earth House can be Comfortable with 80% less energy consumption than a Wood Frame House.

Raw Materials: There are five basic types of Soil (Gravel, Sand, Silt, Clay, and Organic), and the Dirt in a given location is generally some combination of all or most of these types. Long lasting Rammed Earth Walls were made of Soil that was 70% Sand and 30% Clay. The Soil from a new Building Site is tested to Determine its Suitability. Organic Material must be removed from the Soil and, a different type of Soil can be trucked in and Mixed with the Existing Dirt to create a Blend that will Work. Cement may be added to the Soil to increase both its Strength and its Moisture usually at about one fourth the ratio that would be used to make Concrete.

Steel Reinforcing Bars: Placed in the Foundations and Sometimes in the Walls. Plywood is used to make the removable Forms for Standard Rammed Earth Construction. Sheets of three quarter inch (1.9 cm) Plywood are thick. High Density Overlay (HDO) Panels, which have a thin, Plastic Coating on one side, work especially well because they release more easily from the Wall after Construction. This not only Leaves a Clean Finish on the Just completed Wall, it leaves the form boards in good condition to be used on Future Projects.

Rammed Earth Tire Construction: Rammed Earth Tire Construction uses Discarded Automobile Tires, Aluminum Cans, and Cardboard in addition to Compacted Soil. About 1,000 Tires are used to build the Walls of a 2,000 sq ft (609.6 sq m) House.

The Manufacturing Process: Rammed Earth Houses can be Built in one of three Basic Ways. Rammed Earth Bricks can be Formed and used with Standard Building Techniques; such Bricks may be used to Form the Floors in a Rammed Earth House Built with other Techniques. Standard Rammed Earth Construction involves Erecting Wood Forms and Compacting.

Automobile Tires: In the Tire method, a row of used Automobile Tires is simply Laid a top the Concrete Footing, Perhaps Centered around Steel Reinforcing Bars that extend out of the Footing. The Tires are then Filled with Soil. About 1,000 Tires are used to build the Walls of a 2,000 sq ft 1609.6 sq m) House.

Tires are used to Build the Walls: In the Tire method, a row of used automobile Tires is simply Laid atop the Concrete Footing, Centered around Steel Reinforcing Bars that extend out of the Footing. The Tires are then Filled with Soil. About 1,000 Tires are used to Build the Walls of a 2,000 sq ft 1609.6 sq m) House. The Prepared Soil into these Molds, which are removed after the Walls are completed. The Rammed-Earth Tire method is a Commonly used Alternative.

Preparing the Site: 1 An inch or two (2.5-5 cm) of topSoil is removed from the Building Site and Stored so it can be Replaced around the Completed Structure. Organic Matter such as Weeds and Roots are removed and may be Composted for use in Landscaping. After the Site is Cleared, the Outline of the House is Staked out. The Soil is Excavated to a Depth that Guarantees a Level Surface; the Excavation includes the Floor area of the Building, a 3 ft (1 m) Surrounding Buffer Zone. A trench may be dug so that the Walls will be Anchored into the Ground to a Depth below the Winter Freezing Line.

Laying the foundation: The Foundation, which is made of Reinforced Concrete, Consists of a Footing that may be as Narrow as the Thickness of the Wall or up to three Times that Thickness, Depending on the Strength of the Underlying Soil. The Footing is Extended above Ground Level to Form a short "stem Wall" that will connect the Rammed Earth Walls to the Footing.

Analyzing the Soil: To Determine the Suitability of the local Soil for Construction Material. For example, a particle Determination Test Reveals the Relative Proportions of Sand and Silt in the Sample. A Compaction test is Performed by Forming a Ball of Mud and Dropping it from a height of 3 ft (1 m); the Degree to which the Ball Disintegrates on impact Reveals its usefulness for Building.

Blended with Soil: If the Native Soil is Unsuitable or Inadequate for Building, it can be Blended with or Replaced by Soil from another Source. Soil may be Purchased from a Quarry, or it might be available as refuse from a Nearby Construction Site, in which case it could be Delivered Free.

Framing the Walls: Traditionally, wood forms were used to build up Walls 2 ft (0.6 m) at a time. After the mold was filled with fully compacted Soil, it would be removed and reset to form the next section of Wall. Horizontally, the Framework may form the complete length of Wall, or it may Form Shorter Panels [e.g., 8 ft (2.44 m) long] separated by 6 in (15 cm) Gaps that can be Filled with Reinforced Concrete for Enhanced Structural Strength.

Framing is a Major Component: Framing is a Major Component of the Construction Process, in Terms of Both importance and Time; it takes less time to fill and Compact the Soil within the Forms than it does to Set, Align, and remove the Framework.

Used Automobile Tires: A row of used automobile Tires is simply Laid atop the Concrete footing, perhaps centered around Steel reinforcing bars that extend out of the footing. After each Layer of Tires has been filled and compacted, another Layer will be added, offset by half the Tire diameter from the Layer below.

Tamping the Soil: Traditional Tampers are made of a Wooden Block with a Handle extending Upward through its Center. A more compact Version can be made from a 4 in (10 cm) square Steel plate Welded to a section of 1 in (2.5 cm) Pipe. A 4-6 in (10-15 cm) Layer of Moistened Soil is placed inside the form, and a worker drops the Tamper from a height of 12-18 in (30-46 cm).

Pneumatic Tampers: In fact, most of the work is now done quickly with Pneumatic Tampers, and manual devices are used only in tight spaces around Electrical Boxes or Plumbing Pipes. After many repetitions with the Tamper over the entire surface of the Layer, the Noise made by the impacting Tamper changes from a Dull thud to a Ringing sound. This Happens when the Soil has been Compacted to about Half of its Original Volume. Another Layer of Prepared Soil is added, and the Tamping Process is repeated. When the Tamping is Finished, the Wood Forms are removed.

Scaffolding must be Constructed: A Sheet of Cardboard is placed across the bottom of the Hole in the Tire, and Moistened Soil is Shoveled into the Tire. The Dirt is Packed by hand into the Interior of the Tire, then it is Compacted by Repeated blows with a Sledge Hammer. About three Wheel Barrow Loads (350 lb or 158.9 kg) of Soil can be Packed into each Tire. Dirt causes the Tire Walls to Bulge, Interlocking the Tire to the Row Below. Additional Layers are added and the Wall becomes Taller, Scaffolding must be Constructed so workers have a place to stand while Filling and Pounding the Tires.

Finishing the Walls: Interior Faces of Walls are often Finished with Plaster. If such a coating is not applied, the Wall should be Treated with a Clear, Penetrating Sealant to Prevent Dust from Sloughing off. Because Stone is Somewhat Porous, it may be necessary to apply Sealant to Weather Proof the Exterior Faces of the Walls in certain Climate areas.

Rammed Earth Tire Walls: Rammed Earth Tire Walls are Finished by Inserting Aluminum Cans into Gaps between the Tires and Filling Remaining Voids with Adobe. Earth is Packed against the Exterior Face of the Wall, Creating a Flat Surface that Completely Conceals the Tires. Wall Interiors are Finished with 2-4 in (5-10 cm) of Plaster or Stucco.

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