greenhomebuilding_com_poured_earth_htm.pdf

8/3/2019 greenhomebuilding_com_poured_earth_htm.pdf

1/8

pdfcrowd comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

HomeSustainableArchitecture

Education&Events

FinancialAspects

Owner/Builder

AboutUs

VernacularArchitecture

BulletinBoard

STORE& Posters

BuildingCodes

BlogNaturalBuilding

Ask theExperts

EnvironmentBuilding

Components

NaturalBuilding

Adobe

Cob

Rammed Earth

Poured Earth
http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/adobe.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/adobe.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/natural_building.htmhttp://pdfcrowd.com/http://pdfcrowd.com/redirect/?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.greenhomebuilding.com%2fpoured_earth.htm&id=ma-120108023556-115738a7http://pdfcrowd.com/customize/http://pdfcrowd.com/html-to-pdf-api/?ref=pdfhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/index.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/sustainable_architecture.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/education.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/news_miscellany.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/financial.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/owner_builder.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/about_us.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/vernacular.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/bulletin_board.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/store.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/posters/posters.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/building_codes.htmhttp://blog.greenhomebuilding.com/http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/natural_building.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/ask_the_experts.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/environment.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/building_components.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/natural_building.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/adobe.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/cob.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/rammedearth.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/poured_earth.htm


2/8


Earthbag

Strawbale

Cordwood

Timber Frame

Bamboo

Earthship

Papercrete
http://pdfcrowd.com/http://pdfcrowd.com/redirect/?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.greenhomebuilding.com%2fpoured_earth.htm&id=ma-120108023556-115738a7http://pdfcrowd.com/customize/http://pdfcrowd.com/html-to-pdf-api/?ref=pdfhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/earthbag.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/strawbale.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/cordwood.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/timber.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/bamboo.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/earthship.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/papercrete.htm


3/8


LightweightConcrete

Stone

Hybrids

ManufacturedSystems

EXPERT ADVICE

with Michael Frerking

Poured Earth

RESOURCES

SOIL CEMENT
http://pdfcrowd.com/http://pdfcrowd.com/redirect/?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.greenhomebuilding.com%2fpoured_earth.htm&id=ma-120108023556-115738a7http://pdfcrowd.com/customize/http://pdfcrowd.com/html-to-pdf-api/?ref=pdfhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/pumicecrete.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/rock.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/hybrids.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/manufactured_systems.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/poured_earthQandA.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/poured_earthQandA.htm#pouredearth


4/8


Ingredients of Poured Earth

Forming and Pouring

Cost of Poured Earth

Miscellaneous

CAST EARTH

SEARCH THIS SITE

Poured earth is similar to ordinary concrete, in that it is mixed and formed likeconcrete and uses Portland cement as a binder. The main difference is that instead of

the sand/gravel used as an aggregate in concrete, poured earth uses ordinary soil

(although this soil needs to meet certain specifications) and generally uses less

Portland cement. Poured earth could be considered a "moderate strength concrete."

Little to no maintenance is required of poured earth walls, since they have a high

resistance to the deteriorating effects of water and sun.

Ideal soil is basically low in clay

(something ranging between silt to 3/8

inch aggregate). Poured earth materials need to meet certifiable engineering

standards; appropriate testing needs to be done to assure a quality product.

Testing should be done to determine shrinkage and compressive strength in

order to make sure that the mix has very little, to no, shrinkage and has a

compressive strength of 800-1200 psi. On-site soil can be ammended with off-

site materials so that they meet appropriate strength and durability standards.

When natural or synthetic flyash and lime is added to the poured earth

mixture, the amount of Portland cement required can be reduced by up to 50%.Magnesium oxide can also be used to help further reduce the use of Portland

cement.

Since poured earth is similar to concrete, local suppliers can provide the

product which can then be pumped using traditional concrete pump trucks.

Standard concrete forms can be used in preparation for the pour.
http://pdfcrowd.com/http://pdfcrowd.com/redirect/?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.greenhomebuilding.com%2fpoured_earth.htm&id=ma-120108023556-115738a7http://pdfcrowd.com/customize/http://pdfcrowd.com/html-to-pdf-api/?ref=pdfhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/poured_earthQandA.htm#ingredientshttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/poured_earthQandA.htm#forminghttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/poured_earthQandA.htm#costhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/poured_earthQandA.htm#misc


5/8


It is possible to

incorporate rigid

insulation within a poured

earth wall, so that there

is a thermal break between the exterior and the interior, thus

allowing the interior portion of the wall to serve as appropriate

thermal mass for the building.

Generally, poured earth walls increase the overall cost of

construction by 10% - 20%, mainly because of the custom nature of

the process. When more homes are built, then the economy of scale

should make this method competitive with traditional building.

Michael Frerking's website (Living Systems Sustainable

Architecture) has much more information about Poured Earth.

Soil Cement

A variation of poured earth that has been around since cement was first formulated is soil cement. This is a dry pack

(moist) earth/cement mixture which works especially well with rather sandy soil, but will also work with other soil types.

The heavier soils with more clay content will probably require more portland cement. Soil cement has been used to form

walls, make floors, pave roads, stabilize river banks, etc.

Here is some information about formulas: Make it by mixing earth with Portland cement to the desired depth, add water

and mix again. Tamp, and cover with plastic to let it cure properly. Use 6 to 16 percent cement by volume according to the

density of the soil. The denser the soil (clay, for instance), the higher percentage of cement to use. Six percent translates

to 1 part cement to 15 parts soil; 16 percent translates to 1 part cement to 6 parts soil.

Soil-Cement and Other Construction Practices in Geotechnical Engineering: Proceedings of

Sessions of Geo-Denver 2000 by Cliff J. Schexnayder, 2000.

Soil Cement Construction Handbookby Portland Cement Association, 1995.
http://pdfcrowd.com/http://pdfcrowd.com/redirect/?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.greenhomebuilding.com%2fpoured_earth.htm&id=ma-120108023556-115738a7http://pdfcrowd.com/customize/http://pdfcrowd.com/html-to-pdf-api/?ref=pdfhttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/078440500Xhttp://www.michaelfrerking.com/http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/078440500Xhttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0893121142


6/8


Click on i mage to buy from

Amazon.com Click on image to buy

from Amazon.com

Building with Earth: Design and Technology of a Sustainable

Architectureby Gernot Minke, 2006. This handbook offers a practical

systematic overview of the many uses of clay and techniques for processing it. Its

properties and physical characteristics are described in informed and

knowledgeable detail. The author's presentation reflects the rich and varied

experiences gained over thirty years of building earth structures in Germany and

abroad. Numerous photographs of construction sites and drawings show the

concrete execution of clay architecture, including pouring earth into forms.

Cast Earth

Cast Earth is similar to Poured Earth in many ways; the main difference is that instead of Portland cement used as a

binder, gypsum is used with a proptieatary technique of retarting its set-up time. For more information about Cast Earth

see this page.

Disclaimer Of Liability And Warranty

I specificall y disclaim any warranty,

either expressed or implied, concerning

the information on these pages. Neither I

nor any of the ad visor/consultants
http://pdfcrowd.com/http://pdfcrowd.com/redirect/?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.greenhomebuilding.com%2fpoured_earth.htm&id=ma-120108023556-115738a7http://pdfcrowd.com/customize/http://pdfcrowd.com/html-to-pdf-api/?ref=pdfhttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/3764374772http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/3764374772http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/cast_earth.htm


7/8


Search

associated with this site will have liability

for loss, dama ge, or i njury, resulti ng from

the use of any information found on this,

or any othe r page at thi s site. Kell y Hart, Hartworks, Inc .

Home Site Map STORE

For Email contact go to About Us

Established in 2001, GreenHomeBuilding.com is primarily a labor of love. Kelly, and the

GreenHomeBuilding team of experts, have answered thousands of questions for readers over the

years, and we continue to publish up-to-date information about increasingly important sustainable

architecture. If you feel moved to assist us in this work, your kind donation would be much

appreciated; this can be easily done through our PayPal account:

Custom Search

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES:

[Solar Car] [Earthbag Building] [Dream Green Homes]
http://pdfcrowd.com/http://pdfcrowd.com/redirect/?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.greenhomebuilding.com%2fpoured_earth.htm&id=ma-120108023556-115738a7http://pdfcrowd.com/customize/http://pdfcrowd.com/html-to-pdf-api/?ref=pdfhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/index.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/sitemap.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/store.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/about_us.htmhttp://www.sunvee.com/http://www.earthbagbuilding.com/http://www.dreamgreenhomes.com/


8/8

df di b PRO i Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
http://pdfcrowd.com/http://pdfcrowd.com/redirect/?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.greenhomebuilding.com%2fpoured_earth.htm&id=ma-120108023556-115738a7http://pdfcrowd.com/customize/http://pdfcrowd.com/html-to-pdf-api/?ref=pdf

greenhomebuilding_com_poured_earth_htm.pdf

Documents