Rammed earth is a building technique that uses a mixture of roughly 70% sand or gravel, 30% clay, and sometimes a small amount of cement. Historically, rammed earth was used to construct Tulou houses in China, which featured thick rammed earth walls formed using movable formwork and later covered in bricks and lime for protection. Rammed earth offers advantages like being 100% recyclable, having a low carbon footprint through use of local materials, and proven earthquake resistance. However, it is also vulnerable to water erosion and requires thick walls. Stabilised rammed earth uses a small amount of cement to address disadvantages while maintaining environmental benefits.

2. Rammed
Earth

3. Ingredients
• Sand/gravel
70%
• Clay
30%
• SRE
uses
6%
of
cement*
• Normal
concrete
<
12%
*
Cement
is
responsible
for
7%
of
the
total
CO2
producGon

4. Tulou
houses

5. Holes
by
moving
formwork

6. Covered
by
bricks

7. Protected
by
lime

8. String
course

9. StraGficaGon

10. Eaves
overhang

12. Earthquake
resistance

13. Stabilised
rammed
earth
(SRE)

14. Low
cost
urban
housing

15. (Dis)advantages
disadvantages
• Vulnerable
to
water
• Erosion
due
to
rain
• Thick
walls
• Trasslayer
/
plinth
• Eaves
overhang
advantages
• 100%
recyclable
• Low
carbon
foothprint
• Proven
technique
• Local
material
• Less
transport

16. Thanks
for
your
aTenGon
TAIPA
–
architectural
en
structural
design
Dries
van
Eijk