Re: GSBN: compressed earth blocks

[Bruce King ecobruce@...]

Howdy -

Many thanks to all of you who have responded regarding compressed earth
blocks.  Is it just me,
or is there a lot more happening in this area than, say, over the past
ten years?

I have many of the references y'all suggested, and have even read some.
 There is clearly a whole
library of good (and bad) material out there waiting to be absorbed.

Here's another debate starter:  my understanding about compressed earth
blocks so far is:

1)  Adding some cement
       benefits:  faster set (= faster to be useable), higher strength
and wear resistance
                            dearer to Building Officials everywhere
       detriments:  less ability to absorb indoor moisture, odors, and
pollutants, cost of cement,
                              hassle of 90 minute pot life before
compressing the mixture
                              not quite exactly biodegradable

2)  NOT adding any cement
      pretty much the opposite of above

Anyone want to comment on the above?  Also, please notice that I have
copied
this message to Tom Morton, a chartered Architect doing some
outstanding research in Scotland
(see www.arc-architects.co.uk ) with his wife and partner, Becky
Little.  I am grateful to them for banging
into my engineer skull (even more than many of you already have) that
cement is not always such a great
addition to earthen construction.


> > Thanks!
> >
> > Bruce King, PE
> > Director, Ecological Building Network
> > 209 Caledonia St.
> > Sausalito, CA 94965  USA
> > (415) 331-7630
> > fax 332-4072
> > www.ecobuildnetwork.org
> > bruce@ ecobuildnetwork.org


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