Studies on the Ageing of Cement Stabilized Rammed Earth Material in Different Exposure Conditions

Abstract

This paper aims to test the deterioration of cement stabilized rammed earth and consider its characteristics during its lifespan in various exposure conditions. Both visual and mechanical properties were tested to determine the impact of long-term exposure to natural weather conditions. Cemented stabilized rammed earth is a variation of the traditional rammed earth building material which has been used since ancient history and is strengthened by the addition of stabilizers in the form of Portland cement. This article analyzes the long-term properties of wall panels made of this material, which were subjected to varying exposure conditions for five years. After this period, compression tests of specimens cut from panels stored in various environmental conditions were carried out. Based on the results and visual properties of the specimens, long-term changes in unconfined compressive strength were observed and primary durability attributes were described. Despite minimal visible wear to the external layers of the wall panels, the natural weather conditions proved to deteriorate material strength characteristics, especially on specimens with high cement content. No correlation between visual characteristics and compressive strength measures were found. The present study is vital in adequately describing cement stabilized rammed earth behavior in natural weather conditions typical of a humid continental climate.

Research on Compressive Tests of Iron Tailing and Cement-Modified Earth Materials from Northwest China

“…According to "The Standards for Geotechnical Experiment Methods," GBT50123-2019, China, 2019 [16], the plastic limit index of the soil sample was 14%, liquid limit index was 24%, and plastic index was 10. The ring knife method [16] was used to determine the most optimal moisture content of the soil sample, as ω = 19.08% and maximum dry density at ρ d = 2.03 g/cm 3 .…”

“…As one of the oldest building materials on earth, earth materials have been used for more than 10,000 years. Earth construction refers to buildings made of unbaked native soil as the main material [1][2][3]. Because of its many advantages, such as natural materials, adapted measures to local conditions, convenient construction, economical saving, low energy consumption, sustainable development, and superior thermal insulation performance, it has been widely used in rural areas in the northwest part of China [4][5][6].…”