Essential rammed earth construction: the complete step-by-step guide

✍ Scribed by Krahn, Tim

• Publisher: New Society Publishers
• Year: 2019
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 170
• Series: Sustainable building essentials
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Everything you need to know to build with rammed earth in warm and cold climates.

Rammed earth - sand, gravel, and clay or lime/cement binder packed into forms - is a low-energy, high-performance building method, yielding beautiful, sustainable results. It's thermally stable and can be insulated, can actively modulate humidity, provides a healthy indoor environment, and allows site materials to be used for major structural and building envelope elements.

Essential Rammed Earth Constructioncovers design, building science, tools, and step-by-step building methods for any climate, with a special emphasis on building in cold climates of the northern US, Canada, and northern Europe. Coverage includes:

Overview of earthen building Appropriate use of rammed earth walls Stabilized versus raw rammed earth Design considerations, including structural, insulation, and building envelope details Special considerations for cold and freeze-thaw climates Construction drawings, with step-by-step building instructions Tools and labor covering industrial methods, low-tech techniques, formwork options, mix design, budgets, and schedules Codes, inspections, and permits. This guide is an essential resource for experienced builders, DIY home owners, designers, engineers, and architects interested in learning about rammed earth construction.

✦ Table of Contents

Front Cover......Page 1
Praise......Page 2
Title Page......Page 4
New Society Sustainable Building Essentials Series......Page 6
Rights Page......Page 7
Contents......Page 8
Acknowledgments......Page 10
Foreword......Page 12
Dedication......Page 15
Chapter One: Introduction......Page 16
Chapter 2: Rationale and Appropriate Use......Page 18
Chapter 3: Building Science Notes......Page 24
Chapter 4: Materials......Page 36
Color Section......Page 68
Chapter 5: Wall System Examples and Structural Design Considerations......Page 76
Chapter 6: Tools and Mixing......Page 94
Chapter 7: Construction Methods......Page 104
Chapter 8: Cost Estimates Based on a Cement-Stabilized Rammed Earth Project......Page 124
Chapter 9: Wall Surfaces, Openings, and Embedments......Page 128
Chapter 10: Building Code Developments......Page 142
Appendix A: Sample Engineering Specification......Page 148
Appendix B: Alternative Solutions Proposal......Page 154
Definitions......Page 156
Resources and Material Suppliers......Page 158
Bibliography......Page 160
Index......Page 162
About the Author......Page 168
A Note About the Publisher......Page 169
A Guide to Responsible Digital Reading......Page 170