Rammed Earth
History of Rammed Earth Construction
Rammed earth construction as a method of wall building has been in existence for thousands of years. In ancient times, every imaginable type of building from single story houses to imperial palaces were constructed with rammed earth material. The walls made from earth were the strongest, safest and in many cases the most earthquake resistant material. It was also the most durable because of the raw masonry materials and the method employed to construct them. Rammed earth walls are now becoming popular due to the availability of quarried raw materials and vastly more efficient construction systems.
Rammed earth was a popular choice for buildings in the Middle East and China where rammed earth structures have been found dating as far back as 5000 BC It also became popular in other parts of the world such as Africa, The Americas and Europe. The Romans built many rammed earth structures throughout Europe. According to historians, along France’s Rhone River there were thousands and thousands of rammed earth buildings.
Rammed Earth Construction and the Green Movement
There is a resurgence of rammed earth construction all over the world due to the “green” movement. The increasing awareness of conserving the environment and the desire to create designs for sustainable homes and buildings have further inspired architects and builders to turn to the earth for materials.
Additionally, modern designs, engineering and insulation requirements favour rammed earth as a material for many modern buildings walls due to its low embodied energy and life cycle energy efficiency.
Types of Rammed Earth
These acronyms have eventuated over years of dealing with architects – so we want to stick with them!
Stabilized Rammed Earth (SRE) – These walls are 300 or 400mm thick with high thermal mass. They are ideal for internal walling or external walling that does not require a high R-value.
Insulated Stabilised Earth (ISE) – These walls are 400mm thick with a 50mm Styrofoam insert. Walls are structurally integrated using patented Earth Structures stainless steel bridging pins. These walls achieve a 2.48 R-value. They are useful for achieving higher external wall R-value levels.
Elevated Stabilised Earth (ESE) – These are built as pre-rammed panels and lifted in place using technologies similar to concrete pre-cast panels. They are specifically for buildings with difficult access. The Earth Structures Group have developed pre-cast rammed earth technology to it’s current levels.
