Abstract
This paper discusses different rammed earth construction technique in Asia. Rammed earth construction techniques from China, Indian, Nepal and Bhutan are examined. It is shown that these techniques are demonstrably different from each other, and argued that the techniques may have developed independently. Case study structures are discussed and it is shown that with care it is possible to chart the development of both techniques both chronologically and geographically.
Highlights
In this paper we compare different aspects of rammed earth construction, focusing mainly on the formwork support and the rammer
The examples chosen are those kingdoms along the length of the Himalayas, namely Ladakh, part of northern India and subject to both Buddhist and Islamic influences through history; Mustang a predominantly Buddhist kingdom, though part of Nepal; Bhutan, a country where rammed earth continues to be promoted as a traditional vernacular construction technique; and these are compared the rammed earth techniques found in parts of China such as Xian and Yunnan
Human ingenuity means that there are many solutions to the same problem; this is seen in the development of the rammed earth technique, and in the solutions to supporting formwork and ramming earth
Summary
In this paper we compare different aspects of rammed earth construction, focusing mainly on the formwork support and the rammer. The findings presented in this paper are a result of the author’s observations of a number of sites in Asia, and it is believed this is the first time such similarities and differences have been described. A detailed survey of many rammed earth structures has not been undertaken, and the conclusions, at this point, are tentative
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