Properties of Sustainable Earth Construction Materials: A State-of-the-Art Review

Zhang, Youchao; Jiang, Shuangli; Quan, Dengzhou; Fang, Kun; Wang, Bo; Ma, Zhiming

doi:10.3390/su16020670

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 120 publications

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“…Earth is a striking material in Brazilian, Portuguese and many other countries’ vernacular architecture. Over the last decades, much research has been promoted worldwide not only to improve the conservation of that heritage but also to gain knowledge to support the use of earth in new buildings, mainly due to environmental concerns [ 1 ]. It is possible to find a wide variety of knowledge about earth construction technologies, methods, materials and stabilizing additions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Cow Dung Additions on Tropical and Mediterranean Earth Mortars-Mechanical Performance and Water Resistance

Pachamama,

Faria,

Rezende

et al. 2024

Materials

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Cow dung (CD) is a material that has been used for millennia by humanity as a stabilizer in earth building techniques in vernacular architecture. However, this stabilization has been little addressed scientifically. In this study, the effect of CD additions was assessed on earth mortars produced with one type of earth from Brazil and two other types from Portugal (from Monsaraz and Caparica). The effect of two volumetric proportions of CD additions were assessed: 10% and 20% of earth + sand. The German standard DIN 18947 was used to perform the physical and mechanical tests, and classify the mortars. In comparison to the reference mortars without CD, the additions reduced linear shrinkage and cracking. An increase in flexural and compressive strengths was not observed only in mortars produced with earth from Monsaraz. In mortars produced with the earth from Caparica, the addition of 10% of CD increased flexural strength by 15% and compressive strength by 34%. For mortars produced with the earth from Brazil, the addition of 10% of CD increased these mechanical strengths by 40%. The increase in adhesive strength and water resistance promoted by the CD additions was observed in mortars produced with all three types of earth. Applied on ceramic brick, the proportion of 10% of CD increased the adherence by 100% for the three types of earth. Applied on adobe, the same proportion of CD also increased it more than 50%. For the water immersion test, the CD additions made possible for the mortar specimens not to disintegrate after a 30 min immersion, with the 20% proportion being more efficient. The effects of the CD on mechanical performance, including adhesion, were more significant on the tropical earth mortars but the effects on water resistance were more significant on the Mediterranean earthen mortars. CD has shown its positive effects and potential for both tropical and Mediterranean earthen plasters and renders tested, justifying being further studied as an eco-efficient bio-stabilizer.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Cow Dung Additions on Tropical and Mediterranean Earth Mortars-Mechanical Performance and Water Resistance

Pachamama,

Faria,

Rezende

et al. 2024

Materials

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“…Rammed earth, wattle and daub, cob, adobe, and compressed earth block (CEB)1 are the most used technologies that have been studied in Europe, Asia, America, and Africa [2,3]. An analysis of the historical progression of earthen architecture revealed that each method of constructing with earth is a response to a specific social setting and the prevailing circumstances of that era [4][5][6][7]. However, in the past, most people in Asia and Africa, where most of the population is engaged in agriculture, strongly associated earthen buildings with poverty and backwardness, preferring industrialized materials such as cement and steel [5,8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable Analysis of Cement-Stabilized Rammed Earth Construction in Rural Areas: A Case Study in Southeast China

DAI,

BAI,

XIAO

2024

Preprint

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Construction using earth materials demonstrates ecological sustainability using locally sourced natural materials and environmentally friendly demolition methods. In this study, the environmental impact of adding cement to soil materials for rammed-earth farmhouse construction in rural China was investigated and comparatively simulated using the One Click LCA database, focusing on the conflict between sustainability objectives and the practical aspects of cement addition. By analyzing how the addition of cement aligns with local construction practices and by addressing the debate surrounding the inclusion of cement in rammed earth construction, our objective is to provide insights into achieving a balance between the environmental impact and the pragmatic considerations of using cement in earthen building practices. Three local structure scenarios are evaluated via simulations: a cement-stabilized rammed earth wall, a fired brick wall, and a localized reinforced concrete frame structure. The quantitative environmental impacts are assessed, and the qualitative differences in adaptation, economic sustainability, and other factors are examined in the context of present-day development in rural China. The results show that the use of cement-stabilized rammed earth wall-supported structures is associated with higher embodied carbon emissions compared to structures supported by reinforced concrete frames and enclosed by brick walls; however, these emissions are lower than those for brick wall-supported structures, while effectively meeting the structural requirements. In addition, the use of cement-stabilized earth for perimeter walls simplifies material management and disposal throughout the building's life cycle, and the cost-effectiveness of cement has been found to be substantially greater than that of reinforced concrete frames and brick structures, improving economic viability and social acceptability, especially among low-income communities in rural areas.

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Thermophysical Properties of Compressed Earth Blocks Incorporating Natural Materials

Turco,

Abedi,

Teixeira

et al. 2024

Energies

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Building materials are responsible for significant CO2 emissions and energy consumption, both during production and operational phases. Earth as a building material offers a valuable alternative to conventional materials, as it naturally provides high hygrothermal comfort and air quality even with passive conditioning systems. However, disadvantages related to high density, conductivity, and wall thickness prevent its effective inclusion in the mainstream. This research explores enhancing the thermophysical properties of compressed earth blocks (CEBs) by using locally sourced natural materials. The study is framed in the Portuguese context and the natural materials involved are wheat straw (WS) as a by-product of wheat harvesting, cork granules (CGs) from bottle caps, and ground olive stone (GOS) residues from olive oil production. Blocks were produced with different mixtures of these materials and the thermal response was examined in a hot box apparatus. Best results include a 20 and 26% reduction in thermal conductivity for mixtures with 5v.% CG and 10v.% GOS, respectively, and an associated reduction in bulk density of 3.8 and 5.4%. The proposed approach therefore proves to be effective in improving the key thermophysical characteristics of CEBs. The article includes a comparative analysis of the experimental data from this study with those from the literature. The study contributes to the growing knowledge of sustainable materials, providing insights for researchers and practitioners looking for innovative solutions for low-carbon and energy-efficient materials.

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Properties of Sustainable Earth Construction Materials: A State-of-the-Art Review

Cited by 4 publications

References 120 publications

Effect of Cow Dung Additions on Tropical and Mediterranean Earth Mortars-Mechanical Performance and Water Resistance

Effect of Cow Dung Additions on Tropical and Mediterranean Earth Mortars-Mechanical Performance and Water Resistance

Sustainable Analysis of Cement-Stabilized Rammed Earth Construction in Rural Areas: A Case Study in Southeast China

Thermophysical Properties of Compressed Earth Blocks Incorporating Natural Materials

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