earth architecture by sarthak kaura

Earth Architecture

BY AR. SARTHAK KAURA

sarthakaura.wix.com/arsarthakkaura

INTRODUCTION

• Mud has been the most essential building materials since the dawn of the man.

• Mud is a building material which has already being tested and tried for thousands of years.

• It is used in modern day construction and the method of using it is verydifferent.

• Mud has its own limitations which can be overcome by certaintechniques.

• The main advantage of mud is we do not need lot of energy to manufacture it unlike other materials.

Mud construction is mainly found in places which are relatively dry and have mud in abundance.

The mud – house uses minimal energy, is comfortable year round.


• The mud – house construction uses only simple natural materials, which are digging soil from the earth, mixing with water and added up with paddy or hay or any dried fiber or even recyclinggarbage.

• Mud house construction is durable and can be easily rebuilt .

• Mud construction also provide natural air conditioning which provide cool air from the massive walls.


Variousconstruction

methods

Stacked earth (COB)

Rammed earth

Adobe

Wattle & Daub

Formed earth (Straw Clay)

Earth filled in

Compressed earth blocks


STACKED EARTH

(COB)

A very stiff mud is prepared by mixing mud and water in the proportion of 1:3 and it is moulded into huge elongated egg shape.

The elongated egg shape mud is 12 to 18 inches, (30 to 40-cm) long and about 6 inches (15-cm) in diameter.

For making a wall , a row of cob is placed in proper line and is pressed to avoid gaps and crack.


• In this way two to three layers of cobs are placed one above the other and the sides are smoothed to avoid cracks and gap.

• Door wooden frame or kerosene tins are used to make theopenings.

• COB is good for anything except height. It is particularly good for curved or round walls.


RAMMED

EARTH

• This is a method in which the strength of the wall can be increased by increasing the thickness of the wall.

• Two parallel planks are held firmly apart by metal rods and clips or bolts, or by small crosspieces of wood.

Stiff mud is thrown in between these two planks and rammed down with either a wooden or metal ramrod.

When one section is completed and hard, the two planks are then raised up and a second course of rammed earth is repeated over the first.


RA

MM

ED

EA

RT

H


ADOBE

Adobe as a building material has been used since ages all over the world and especially in Mesopotamia and Egypt.

• The blocks shall be kept in shaded area like having enough aircirculation.

• Sprinkle water over blocks daily, as many times needed, during 28days.

• Write date of production on block corner.

• Cover stacks top with coconut leaves or any other cover to avoid direct sunlight.

• Principle is that blocks shall not dry for 4weeks.


EARTH FILLED-IN

• Humid soil is traditionally poured into wooden lattice works. Thus, it gave some thermal mass to light structures as well as some acoustic insulation.

• In recent times, dry soil has been poured into synthetic textiles which are hold outside by wooden poles driven into the ground.

• Dry soil is also being poured into long synthetic tubes, which are staked upon each other.


EARTH FILLED-IN

Cal-Earth (The California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture) does an extensive use of filled in technique.

They call it Super adobe construction and they are building what is called Eco-domes. Super adobe structures are an excellent example of green building techniques.


FORMED EARTH

(Straw Clay)

Very clayey soil, in a liquid state, is poured on straw, which has been chopped to the desired length.

• The mix is generally tampered afterwards into forms.

• These walls are not load-bearing.• They are light, have a very high thermal insulation value and must be built in a wooden structure.• Straw clay can be used as a filler wall, formed between a wooden structure or as prefabricated blocks.


Wattle and

daub

• Wattle and daub method is an old and common method of building mud structures.

• Bamboo and cane frame structure that supports the roof.• Mud is plastered over this mesh of bamboo cane and straws.

• Due to excessive rainfall the Wattle and

Daub structures gets washed off.

• However, the mesh of cane or split bamboo remains intact and after the heavy rain is over the mud is plastered on again.


Advantages

• Saves natural resources.

• Using neither cement nor rock (Save our mountains).

• To save building materials: Main materials are soil and water, mixed to be mud, if the mud is too sticky, we can add up with paddy husky or rice straw or local fiber weed or bamboo.

• Energy use :To save energy.

• Cool in summer (Inside building temperature is about 24°c to26°c.

• Warm in Winter (Automatic control temperature by passive cooling system)

• Capital Expenditure:

• To save money. No air – conditioning, no electricity bills.


Disadvantages

Humidity is the crucial factor, mud-house will easily catch fungus.

The brand- new mud-house may have foul odour of crushed green leaves.

Erodes easily by water.

Low tensile and shear strength , hence , roofs difficult.

Susceptible to mechanical damage, rodents and burgles.

Grip between earth and wood is very weak , hence, framed doors and windows are not possible.

Requires regular maintenance.

Not fire proof and not termite proof.


Thank you.

Presentation by

Ar. Sarthak Kaura


BibliographyDharmalaya Institute, Bir (Himachal Pradesh)http://www.earth-auroville.com

https://www.building-design-and-construction-systems-brick.co.in

Pritchett, Ian. The Building Conservation Directory, 2001: "Wattle and Daub". Accessed 2 February 2007

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