Formulating and optimizing the compressive strength of a raw earth concrete by mixture design

Abstract

Earthen construction is one of the most common construction technique used since the earliest times. The raw material is abundant, requires very low energy to manufacture and does not generate waste. Building today with raw materials, requires noticeable mechanical performance. For this, a raw earth treatment using the binders is one of the methods used to improve its durability and strength. This paper presents the use of mixture design as a tool to optimize a raw earth concrete formulation to reach a desirable compressive strength. The results show that the mixture design approach can be an important tool to help develop and optimize a raw earth concrete formulation.