Modern stabilized rammed earth walls are incredible durable, thermally efficient and non-toxic; they also remove the necessity for all other wall assembly materials. Once the walls are stripped of the forms they are in a complete state. There is no need for exterior siding, interior sheetrock, paint or any other interior application. Electrical conduit is placed in the wall during construction, allowing for a clean earth wall to surround the inhabitants. The walls are a reflection of regional soils and the process of construction. This model puts decreases the flow of project funds into carbon heavy materials and transportation and increases the equity of skilled labor.
Stabilized-rammed earth typically has a minimum compressive strength equal to that of concrete, 2500 psi., and has reached strengths in excess of 7000 psi. Because the earthen material is rammed, it is able to achieve this strength with one-half to one-third the cement content of a similar concrete wall. It is possible to further reduce the amount of cement (and embodied carbon) by replacing 50-60% of the cement with recycled slag, a byproduct of iron making that is chemically similar to concrete. Slag has other benefits; it will increase the durability and the ultimate strength of the wall while heightening the vividness of the color. Stabilized-rammed earth walls are typically engineered by a licensed structural engineer. Steel reinforcing is placed in the wall during construction to ensure the walls withstand earthquakes. These modern improvements to this proven and ancient building method provide a structure with a lifecycle that, if history is any gauge, will be measured in centuries.
