Handbook for Building Homes of Earth. Appropriate Technologies for Development. Reprint R-34.

165 Pages·2011·4.79 MB·English

DOCUMENT RESUME
CE 038 621
ED 242 877
Wolfskill, Lyle A.; And Others
AUTHOR
Handbook for Building Homes of Earth. Appropriate
TITLE
Technologies for Development. Reprint R-34.
Department of Housing and Urban Development,
INSTITUTION
Affairs.;
Washington, DC; Office of International
Information Collection
Peace Corps, Washington, DC.
and Exchange Div.
_
(IDCA),
Agency for International Development
SPONS AGENCY
Washington, 'DC.
Sep 81
PUB DATE
well.
164p.; Photographs will-not reproduce
NOTE
Non-Classroom Use (055)
Guides
PUB TYPE
MF01/PC07 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
*Building Design; *Construction (Process);
DESCRIPTORS
Materials;
Construction Management; *Construction
Developing Nations; Guidelines; *Housing;
Development;
Postsecondary Education; Roofing; Site
(Construction);
*Soil Science; *Structural Elements
Training
Voluntary Agencies; Volunteers; Volunteer
*Earth HomeS
Agency for International Development;
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
for
This manual, developed by the Agency
Corps, explains how
International Development and used by the Peace
Information came from reports, books,
to build homes made of earth.
coupled with research by soil
and articles from_many countries,
It_is presented in the most
engineers at Texas A & M University.
describes broadly the kinds
nontechnical format possible. The manual
parts of the world and tells what
of soil that are found in various
with each
then tells what is best to do
can be expected of them. It
with others, to make them good
of them, alone or in combination
With the use of stabilizers. Then
enough to use or make them better
kinds of earth construction is
it explains which of the three general
soil available. It also describes
best for use with the kinds of
tell the builder how well he or
simple tests anyone can perform that
After chapters on picking'but
she is succeeding in the construction.
foundation for any kind of house,
places to build, how to make a good
separate chapters on adobe,
and how to build a roof, the manual has
construction. The manual _is
rammed earth, and pressed block
photographs. _A list of references,
illustrated With line drawings and
and a glossary complete
mathematical formulas, soil test procedures,
the manual. (KC)
***********************************************************************
that can be made
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best
from the original document.
***********************************************************************
INFORMATION CONI-rTION & EXCHANGE
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Peace
3
Handbook For Building
Homes of Earth
This report was prepared for the
Agency for International Development
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND UR3AN DEVELOPMENT
OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20410
Peace Corps
Information Collection and Exchange
.
Reprint R-34
September 1981
FOREWORD
This report was prepared for the Agency for.
International Development by Lyle A. Wolfs--
kill, Wayne A. Dunlop and Bob M, Callaway
of the Texas Transportation Institute; Texas
A & M university; College Station, Texas.
Technical supervision was provided by this
office.
This reprint is being made to provide copies
handbook has
to meet many demands. This
proved to be one of the most helpful and most
self-
popular publications in the field of aided
help housing.
Deputy for Technology and Information
Office of International Affairs
Department of Housing & Urban Development
TABLE OF CONTENTS
IntroductionTypes of Earth Houiei
3
Chapter 1
9
With Them. ......
Soils and What Can Be Done
Chapter 2
44
Chapter 3 Soil Stabilizers
53
Site Preparation
Chapter 4
60
Foundations
Chapter 5
72
Chapter 6 == Lightweight Rt.ofs
74
Prepared
Chapter 7 == Getting the Soil
81
Chapter 8 Making Adobe Blocks
88
Making Pressed Earth Blocks
Chapter 9
98
Pressed Blocks
Chapter 10 Making Walls of
Rammed Earth
113
Chapter 11 = Making Walls of
129
Roofs for Earth Houses
Chapter 12
134
Houk§
Chapter 13 - Floors for Earth
137
Chapter 14 Surface Coatings
Chciptai.
1
INTRODUCTION
in after he carne
Probably one of the first homes than lived
Of earth. To be sure, the earliest known
out of a cave; was Made
crude by our standards
kinds of earth construction were very
mud on poles
Primitive man did little more than stick
today.
BUt even with this he found shelter
woven closely together.
except his cave. He
that was better than anything else he had
around. He could
also had the advantage of being able to move
live wherever he wanted to.
mud made better
radually, he learned that some kinds of
lasted his whole
houses than others. And some of the best ones
lifetime.
in many parts
Today, there are plenty of earth dwellings
Man discovered that the
of the world that are centuries old.
in areas where ni:it much
earth homes that have lasted best were
of an earth house..
rain falls. A wet climate is the worst enemy
the science of soil
in
TOday, with the advances made
different conditions
mechanics, what soils Vsill do under many
It is possible, even with little
controlled.
can be predicted arid
inexpensive and durable homes
skill, today to build beautiful,
known, the earth around
using the oldest construction material
US.
the scientific road builders who
Strangely enough, it
is
kinds of soil will behave
have learned most about the way many
These scientists know; for
under a wide variety of coriditiOnS.
for centuries were considered
example, how to take soils that
combining them with materials
useless for anything and, by
mixtures that are excellent
called stabilizers; make them into
for earth construction.
discoveries, this new knowledge, much-
As in most important
found by work done in
of it learned since World War II; was
It now remains
technical men:
labd'ratories by highly trained
available to the people who need
to make these new techniques
the _many
their advantage:
them most and can use them ,0
lasting homes and who
people in the World who neet'_ good,
a 16i of money to buy them, or who
cannot afford to spend
Earth
manufactured materials.
do not haVe access to modern
is everywhere.
Agency for International
One of the great aims of the
Under its Self-Help
need.
Development is to help fulfill this
gives the most help while allow-
Program, which the AID feels
dignity_ and pride, comes thiS
ing those aided to keep their
technical services.
manual as one of AID's that-1y
to take the newest techniques
de=
This small bobk tries
and put them into simple
veloped in modern soil itiethatii-cS
7
3
have the benefit
it7ins so that almost anyone; anywhere; can
the great amount of work that has been done by the scientists.
The AID authorized and paid fora _research project by the
.J.exas Ag Al Research Foundation, at College Station, Texas, to:
gather- and study. all available inforrnation on building
I.
homes %dill earth;
do new research in areas where not enough was known
2:
about what can be done with earth, and
bring this information _together and present
it
in
a
3.
Corm most useful for most people.
Information came from many countries and from all kinds
of sources: These included books; articles.: technical reports _and
More than 300 such sources were studied.
even newspapers:
In addition; soil engineers at Texas A&M University worked in
their own laboratories and made tests of the materials they had
and added the knowledge they developed themselves.
This manual tries to present its information in the sufipkst
Because many 'things vary greatly even in one
way possible.
impossible to say, all things to one person and
country: it
is
have all that information apply 'to the place he lives.
\s,
The many kinds of climate that exist all over the world;
soils that are found;
plus the much_ greater number of kinds
make the problem of explaining just how to build a house
For example, in the State of Texas, alone, what would
difficult.
be best to do in the eastern part would not be at all the same
What would be fine in parts
in the western part of the state.
of the Rio_ Grande Valley and the Texas Gulf Coast in the
south part Would not be best in the Panhandle in the north;
So; this manual describes broadly the kinds of soil that are
found in various parts of the world and tells what can be
It then tells what is best to do with each
expected of them:
of them; alone or in combination with others; to make them
use Or make them better with, the use of
good enough to
it explains which of the three general
And then
stabilizers:
is best for use with the kinds of
kinds of earth construction
It also describes simple tests anyone can perform
soil avabahle:
that tell rhe builder how well he is succeeding in what he is
trying to do:
rz
After chapters on picking out places to build, how to make
a good foundation for any kind of honk and how to build ai
roof; the manual has separate chapters on adobe, rammed earth
and pressed block construction.
Because conditions and available materials change so much
in different paces, the builder often will want to use his own
It is therefore important, in order to get the
good judgment.
Lest value out of this manual, that he read at least the early
4
,C1
to Solve his own
chapters carefulk before deciding how beSt
problem,
of his
Craft. the good workman has "the
itiV
,As_ in
job before lie tries co gO too far with it
'feel:-
is hopi!il, will give hits: that
This manual. it
Types of Earth Houses
that !he 1,1,y;:lder
I -here are /Ince Man) IVipeti of earth houses
can select:
Adobe.
1.
Ranuned earth.
°.
Pressed (or machine-made) blocks.
;Aid "wattle
"cob'
Two other nietlio-ck that can he used are
tiSaltlbj these do not make the bes. llonse'
and elaiili,'
licit
adobe blocks z.re
:4 DORE BLOCKSWalk iitade front
oldest fonis of i-al-th
ably th most popular 'and iitie_Of the
wet tom: in
Adobe blockS arc Made by placing
a
housing
short time
The fins are runored
box-es called -forms.-
:I
blocks arc allowed to
after the blocks are made and tlie ailObe
build
for about a Minith before they are used to
(or curt')
diA
together itPthe wall with a
The blocks are_ h
wall.
a
used for -making the
mortar" which can be the .S..ne Mud
inani advantage adobe has over _the Otl 2r
f.s
I tic
sati:;fai-tory dwelling can
is the simplest method; and a
that
it
Do it
construction skill.
be built with the least amount of
wails.that _are rehttivelv free
voti can have Strong
tight,
and
You can also make all of:0e blocks in %mil spar;
fi-oiii cracks.
you'are really to Ike them..
tittle and store them until
Watson and
This livable 'home, built by Leon
Figure L
Mexico, demonstrates > the
Associates, in Albuquerque, _NeW
architecture of the South-
quality and natural beauty, of adobe
vbestek n United States.
likely
Adobe has stc:Al disadvantages._ Adobe blocks
".:7-
usually -;:t
Adobe is
to hc. "totitTh looking" and chip easily.
raizlial
suited to climates that have more than 25-30 inches of
a year.
or
Walls made from adobe blocks- a1:& usually as atttTac:iv:
iikc rammed earth.
more so than rammed earth
btit
:1-Je
often requires surfacing for a good appearance., Adohe
probably require less work than do rammed_ earth wails.
"1 sic
is an adobe house co-;eled
attractive house shown in Figure
1
with *stucco.
111.0 E.1R THIn this method, continuous walls arc
built b ramming moist soil into position Letween heakv wooden
is cornokled thc rcrnis
-When a short section of wall
forms.
are moved upwards or sideways and the process
repe%ted
is
until the walls arc completed. The ramming may be done With
either hand or pNeumatic tampers, but either way tne soil' has
becomes dense and extremely firm.
to he ramm.zd until
it
for successful use than
Pneumatic tampers require mor^ skill
do hand tampers.
well made rammed earth wall is one of the most durable
earth walls that can he made. Some have lasted for cenr_uries.
Unskilled IPbor can do the ramming.
Rammed earth has the following disadvantages:
lt is not easy to do well:
1.
The heavy wooden forms take time, money and some
2.
skill to build.
1111kff-,,
,
;,46..14
c
'
Z
t'
A
-4
Figure 2.
6
10
fn: selec-
u:
Rammed earth construction requires the most
after
shrink and
tvpr, or the walls will
tion of the soil
c7.:
they dry:
during tl7t- ramming
The ainoUnt of water used in the soil'
ramming of ire soil :'
mast be carefully controlled CO get proper
wit:not:7.
rcfuliy done, the finished wall may look wer;
If
-:_raint the
But, it is common practice to stucco :)r
any coating.
finish.
finished wall to produce a pleasing
RICCO
BontiF.:!--,
siirface
a problem if
or paint to the wall may present
IL I
preparation is not carried out.
Figuie 2.
A rammed earth house is shown in
BLOC:7.SRe-
hi. G-Pf/NE:-Af.,-IDE OR PRE,SSED EARTH
machines have been made
cently se;cral simple and_ineiperisive
These earth blocKter have
blocks.
pressing soil into bricks
.for
They have approximately the strength and
_
many _advantages.
blocks which have had
durability of rammed earth, _Some
nearly as satisfac-
(or chemicals) added to them are
stabilizPrs
lumber,_ or '_r tam other buildir7, rn.a;_erials.
tory as burnt brick,
block
easily as
At the same dine, walls can be built as
before
The Dressed -block:: dry and shrink in the :tn
walls.
built
crack free;
they are !aid so that walls essentially
-4-.)e
shrink a little.
even with soils that
pleasing appear-
Walls made of pressed blocks have a very
and it is not necessary to use surface coatings
ance
It nevertheless most be
soils are used.
as long as the right
required for hzpd;.iing and
remembered that much hard work is
blocks;
mixing the soil and transporting the finished
Net
"44
4'.
#
e
.rt,-7=1"411
Machine-made blocks forio the walls of this house.
Figure 3.