Quote:
Originally Posted by bennelson
Has anyone worked with earthen brick on a project like a home? It seemed like a great material. We were actually starting to build columns with it. Apparently, they have tested these bricks and they can carry an amazing amount of weight.
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Dumb question time:
- Are these compressed earth blocks (low moisture content) or is the subsoil put in the press wet/muddy like adobe?
- What was the approx. clay / silt / sand ratio of the subsoil?
I have not personally built with adobe (sun-dried, earth and straw bricks) but adobe buildings are common where I live. In the southwest there is a large diurnal temperature swing (day to night temp. difference) and properly designed buildings with good thermal mass can be very comfortable. Adobe is also a cheap material, but labor-intensive to build with. The Wikipedia pages on adobe and compressed earth blocks are pretty informative.
As I understand it the most important issues with adobe are to have a sufficient foundation for the weight of the structure and to keep the bricks/blocks protected from the weather (roof and stucco). Even in the dry Southwest rain and snow can infiltrate a crack in an adobe wall and eventually it will melt away.
FWIW,
Tim