The document discusses the significance of mud and earth as sustainable building materials throughout history, emphasizing their advantages such as low energy consumption, recyclability, and abundance. It describes various mud construction techniques, including adobe, rammed earth, and earthbag construction, highlighting their effectiveness in different climates and their potential to meet housing demands. Additionally, the document notes the importance of using indigenous materials and methods for eco-friendly construction practices in contemporary architecture.

1. SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIVE MATERIALS
DEEPIKA VERMA (15001506003)
M. Arch. (2015-17), 2nd Sem,
Department of Architechture,
Deenbandhu ChhotuRam University
of Science & Technology, Murthal

2. 
INTRODUCTION
 Man has always built with natural materials, building with mud/earth; the most
natural of all building materials poses a special challenge. Architecture today is
discriminated by cold hard, machine made building materials.
 Architecture involves use of various different construction materials that require
a unique constructiontechnique. But most of these construction techniques are
energy intensive techniques.
 Mud construction system is less energy intensive and very effective in different
climatic conditions.
 Earth is one of man's oldest building materials and most ancient civilizations
used it in some form. It was easily available, cheap, and strong and required only
simple technology.
 In Egypt the grain stores of Ramasseum
built in adobe in 1300BC still exist; the
Great Wall of China has sections built in
rammed earth over 2000 years ago. Iran,
India, Nepal, Yemen all have examples of
ancient cities and large buildings built in
various forms of earthen construction.

3. 
 Mud has been the most essential of building materials since the dawn of the man.
 Approximately 58% of all buildings in India are mud brick and a growing
construction boom in India.
 Mud is a building material which has already being tested and tried for thousands of
years.
 It is used in modern day construction and the method of using it is very different.
 Mud has its own limitations which can be overcome.
 The main advantage of mud is we do not need lot of energy to manufacture it unlike
brick, cement, steel, concrete, etc.
 Mud construction is mainly found in places which are relatively dry and have mud
in abundance.
 The mud – house uses minimal energy, is comfortable year round.
 The mud – house construction uses only simple natural materials, which are any
digging soil from the earth mixed with water and added up with paddy or hay or
any dried fiber or even recycling garbage.
 Mud house construction is durable and can be easily recycled .
 Mud construction also provide air conditioning system which provide cool air from
the massive walls.
MUD/EARTH

4. 
WHY MUD/EARTH?
 Mud, a mixture of earth and water, is economical, practical, functional and
attractive. It is easy to work with, and it takes decoration as well.
 Mud is especially useful in humid and hot climates.
 Mud is a natural building material that is found in abundance, especially where
other building materials such as bricks, stone or wood are scarce due to affordability
and or availability.
 The mud architecture is a great resource
that focuses on architecture constructed of
mud brick, rammed earth, compressed
earth block and other methods of earthen
construction.
 The proliferation of concept to use mud
and improved techniques in order to raise
the level of living in the population is a
very welcome idea. This can go a long way
not only in the form of changing the look
of population centers, rural as well as
urban, but also in solving environmental
problems and problems related to energy
and other finite resources.

5. 
Advantages of SOIL/EARTH construction?
Various reasons for using mud as a construction material is described below:
Energy Consumption : In mud construction, minimum fossil fuel energy is
consumed and is naturally abundant throughout the world, where as in brick
construction fossil energy is consumed for manufacturing process and
transportation.
Recycling : Recycling of modern materials for building construction is expensive.
Recycling of soil does not need fossil fuel and labour requirement is also less. The
characteristic of recycled soil for construction remains the same whereas in modern
building material it acquires inferior character after recycling.
Abundance : The abundance availability of soil in large areas helps the
economically weaker section of the society to afford the mud construction. It is
easily adaptable and the technology can be transferred easily.
Housing demand : A huge deficit of housing demand in urban and rural areas
linked with limited resources on all fronts make it absolutely essential that the
housing solution have o be best effective, through optimal and efficient use of all
resources of land and building material.

6. 
Soil Source
• Mud required for building can be taken from the
plot itself.
• The soil is collected after depth of 60cms only.
• Top layer soil is full of organic matter, it isn’t used.
• Below it is sand and clay which are dug out in
heaps.
• Do not use hard rock.
• Soil to be used should be devoid of organic matter.
• Top should be replaced after excavating.
• Gravel: Small pieces of stone varying from the size of a pea to that of an egg.
• Sand: Similar small pieces of stone (usually quartz), which are small but each grain, is
visible to the eye.
• Silt: The same as sand except that it is so fine that you cannot see individual grains.
• Clay: Soils that stick when wet - but very hard when completely dry.
• Organic Soil: Soil mainly composed of rotting, decomposing organic matters such as
leaves, plants and vegetable matter. It is spongy when wet, usually smells of decaying
matter, is dark in color and usually damp.
Soil Types

7. 
Composition Of Soil Usability
 Gravel: alone is of no use for
mud wall building - the tiny
lumps of stone have nothing to
bind them together.
 Sand: similar to gravel, it is of no
use for wall making by itself -
but if mixed with clay, it is the
ideal mud wall building soil.
 Silt: by itself is also no good for
building walls. It will hold
together but is not strong.
Furthermore, it will not compact
so it is also of no use for pressed
blocks or rammed earthwork.
 Clay: can be rammed or
compressed but in drying out
they often shrink. During the
monsoon they get damp and
expand again and crack form.
 Organic Soils: are mainly useless
for wall building.

8. 
Stablizers
When the available soil is not suitable
enough for construction then the soil can be
used by manipulating its composition by
adding suitable stabilizers.
 Stabilizing enhances the given
property of the soil type.
 Increase Tensile and Shear strength.
 Reduce shrinkage.
Most common and effective stabiliser is Soil itself.
Various other indigenous stabilisers include
 Straw
 Plant Juices
 Gum Arabic
 Sugar Or Molasses
 Cow Dung
 Animal Urine
 Tannic Acid
 Oil

9. 
COB
 With only a little water to form a very stiff mud, a large lump is roughly moulded into the
shape of a huge elongated egg.
 The usual size is anything between 12 to 18-inches, (30 to 40-cm) long and about 6-
inches (15-cm) in diameter.
 A row of these cobs of mud are laid neatly side-by-side - preferably somewhat pressed
together.
 Then another row of cobs is laid on top.
 When three or four courses have been laid,
one above the other, the sides are smoothed
over so that the holes and cracks disappear.
 Openings for doors, and windows are a
problem, which can be solved by using
temporary vertical planks or shuttering.
 Another very simple shuttering for openings
is to use empty kerosene tins.
COB is good for anything except height. It is particularly good for curved or round walls.

10. 
Rammed Earth
The second method has developed from the cob wall so as to standardize
or regularize the thickness of the wall.
It is also an attempt to increase the strength of the wall by ramming it. It is
known as the Rammed Earth method.
Two parallel planks are held firmly apart by metal rods and clips or bolts,
or by small crosspieces of wood.
Stiff mud is thrown in between these two planks and
rammed down with either a wooden or metal ramrod.
When one section is
completed and hard, the
two boards are moved
along and the process is
repeated
The two planks are then
raised up and a second
course of rammed earth is
repeated over the first.
RAMMED EARTH is strong and ideal for solid, squat, single storey houses.

11. 
Adobe
 Blocks shall be kept covered with air tight polythene sheets for first 48 hrs with
relative humidity up to 100.
 Polythene sheets shall be removed after 48 hrs and the blocks shall be kept in
shaded area like having enough air circulation.
 Sprinkle water over blocks daily, as many times needed, during 28 days.
 Blocks shall be kept covered
with air tight polythene sheets
for first 48 hrs with relative
humidity up to 100.
 Polythene sheets shall be
removed after 48 hrs and the
blocks shall be kept in shaded
area like having enough air
circulation.
 Sprinkle water over blocks
daily, as many times needed,
during 28 days.
ADOBE or SUN DRIED BRICKS can easily cope with two storey houses.

12. 
Wattle & Daub
Wattle and daub method is an old and common
method of building mud structures.
There bamboo and cane frame structure that
supports the roof.
Mud is plastered over this mesh of bamboo cane
and straws.
Due to excessive rainfall the Wattle and Daub
structures gets washed off. However, the mesh of
cane or split bamboo remains intact and after the
heavy rain is over the mud is plastered on again.
WATTLE & DAUB is elegant and fine for Seismic Zones.

13. 
Earth Bag Construction
 Earthbag construction is an inexpensive method to create structures which
are both strong and can be quickly built. It is a natural building technique.
The technique requires very basic construction materials: sturdy sacks,
filled with inorganic material usually available on site. Standard earthbag
fill material has internal stability. Either moist subsoil that contains enough
clay to become cohesive when tamped, or an angular gravel is used.
 Walls are gradually built up by laying the bags in courses — forming a
staggered pattern similar to bricklaying.
 The most popular type of bag is made of solid-weave polypropylene, such
as the type often used to transport rice or other grains. Polypropylene is
chosen for its low cost and its resistance to water damage, rot, and insects.

14. 
Earth Bag Construction
 This method was developed from
the bunkers made by the military
 The basic construction method
begins by digging a trench.
 Rows of woven bags (or tubes) are
filled with available inorganic
material
 After the foundation is laid, each
successive layer will have one or
more strands of barbed
wire placed on top.
 The weight of this earth-filled bag
pushes down on the barbed wire
strands, locking the bag in place
on the row below.
 The most popular type of bag is
made of woven polypropylene.
 Organic/natural materials such
as hemp, burlap or other natural-
fiber bags (like "gunny sacks") can
be used.

15. 
Manglore Tiles
Mangalore tiles (also Mangalorean tiles) are a type of tile native[1] to the city
of Mangalore, India. Since 1860, the industry has flourished in India with these red
tiles, prepared from hard laterite clay, in great demand throughout the country.
They are a popular form of roofing and are preferred over concrete due to their good
quality.
PREPARATION
First part is to collect enough
clay and place it in a mold and
is cut to exact measurement.
Then that rectangular piece of
clay with exact length and
thickness is placed on another
machine which puts the factory
logo and shapes it into a tile.
Then with hand any extra clay is
removed and sent to be carried
for firing and later glazing.
Once fired and glazed it is ready
and is stored for
transport/shipping.

16. 
Sod
Sod or turf is grass and the
part of the soil beneath it
held together by the roots,
or a piece of thin material.
Such material is more
usually known as turf, and
the word "sod" is limited
mainly to agricultural
senses.
Rolled sod Golf course turf
Sod is typically used for lawns, golf courses, and
sports stadiums around the world. In residential
construction, it is sold tolandscapers, home
builders or home owners who use it to establish
a lawn quickly and avoid soil erosion. Sod can
be used to repair a small area of lawn,[1] golf
course, or athletic field that has died. Sod is also
effective in increasing cooling, improving air
and water quality, and assisting in flood
prevention by draining water.Sod Roofing

17. 
Earth Rammed Tire Walls
The market for scrap tires continues to
increase. Whether used as fuel, ground and
recycled into new products, retreaded or used
in civil engineering projects, their rate of
recycling and reuse continues to climb.
One such method of
reuse is beginning to
gain popularity
among eco-friendly
builders: building
with tires.

18. 
Brick
Mudbrick
Unfired bricks, also known as mudbricks, are made from a wet, clay-containing soil mixed
with straw or similar binders. They are air-dried until ready for use.
Fired brick
Fired bricks are burned in a kiln which makes them
durable. Modern, fired, clay bricks are formed in one
of three processes – soft mud, dry press, or extruded.
Normally, brick contains the following ingredients:
• Silica (sand) – 50% to 60% by weight
• Alumina (clay) – 20% to 30% by weight
• Lime – 2 to 5% by weight
• Iron oxide – ≤ 7% by weight
• Magnesia – less than 1% by weight
The soft mud method is the most common, as it is the
most economical. It starts with the raw clay,
preferably in a mix with 25–30% sand to reduce
shrinkage. The clay is first ground and mixed with
water to the desired consistency. The clay is then
pressed into steel moulds with a hydraulic press. The
shaped clay is then fired ("burned") at 900–1000 °C to
achieve strength.

19. 
Earthen Floor
An earthen floor, also called an adobe floor, is a floor made of dirt, raw earth, or other
unworked ground materials. It is usually constructed, in modern times, with a
mixture of sand, finely chopped straw and clay, mixed to a thickened consistency and
spread with a trowel on a sub-surface such as concrete. Once dry, it is then usually
saturated with several treatments of a drying oil.
Benefits :
• Variety of colors, textures,
and materials
• Can be installed over nearly
any subflooring
• Integrates well with in-floor
radiant heat tubing
• One of the cheapest flooring
methods, green or otherwise.
In modern times, most earthen floors are often laid over the top of a subfloor of
tamped gravel or cob or adobe, and then a mixture of clay, sand and fiber are mixed
and leveled onto the subfloor. The finished layer can be 1/2 to 2 inches thick, and A
drying oil like Linseed oil is usually used to seal the floor and protect it from wear
and tear. A final coat of a wax sealing finish (perilla oil or floor wax) can be used to
increase durability and lustre.

20. Earthen plaster (adobe plaster) is a blend of clay,
fine aggregate, and fiber. Other common additives
include pigments, lime, casein, prickly pear cactus
juice (Opuntia), manure, and linseed oil. Earthen
plaster is usually applied to masonry, cob, or straw
bale interiors or exteriors as a wall finish. It
provides protection to the structural and insulating
building components as well as texture and color.
Earthen Plaster
Additives are usually
blended with the clay,
sand, and natural fiber to
improve the workability
and strength of a plaster.
Some of the most
common additives
are wheat flour paste,
manure, cactus juice,
casein (milk protein) and
various natural oils such
as linseed oil.

21. 
CSEB – Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks
In India, CSEB's with cement stabilization have shown to be very beneficial. The
observed compressive strength, flexural strength at 28 days of aging with 9% cement
stabilization has been observed to be 3.2 MPa and 1 MPa respectively
 A compressed earth block (CEB), is a building material made primarily from
damp soil compressed at high pressure to form blocks. Compressed earth blocks
use a mechanical press to form blocks out of an appropriate mix of fairly dry
inorganic subsoil, non-expansive clay and aggregate.
 If the blocks are stabilized with a chemical binder such as Portland cement they are
called compressed stabilized earth block (CSEB)
The soil, raw or stabilized, is
slightly moistened, poured
into a steel press (with or
without stabiliser) and then
compressed either with a
manual or motorized press.
CEB can be compressed in
many different shapes and
sizes. For example, the Auram
press 3000 proposes 18 types
of moulds for producing
about 70 different blocks.

22. 
CSEB – Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks
Compressed stabilised earth blocks by the Auram press 3000
ADVANTAGES OF CSEB
 CSEB Promote endogenous development
 CSEB can be used for disaster resistance
 CSEB promote endogenous development
 CSEB are eco-friendly
 CSEB are cost effective “Tsunami”
house–
Tamil Nadu
built after
the tsunami
in 2004.

23. 
VIKAS APARTMENTS, AUROVILLE
 Vikas apartments on 4 floors –Walls: 24 cm thick, maximum 13.4 m high –
No concrete columns
 Floors and roofs are built with CSEB vaults and domes
Vikas community was a finalist for the “2000 World Habitat Award” (Building and Social
Housing Foundation, UK)
CSEB are load bearing to build multi-floor buildings

24. 
Examples of mud construction In INDIA
Casa Rana by Made in Earth: a responsible project
Made in Earth (MiE) is an Italian NGO formed
in 2010 by a group of architects who were
later joined by other professionals; it works on
responsible architecture for communities in
the Indian region of Tamil Nadu. Casa Rana is
home to 15 HIV-positive children and their
carer: a virtuous example of sustainable
architecture in India.
The house is a great splash of colour and an
open bamboo curtain wraps around the
balcony to shade the outdoor areas, Made in
Earth doesn’t only design and build buildings,
it is also involved in training young engineers,
designers and architects, organising
workshops and seminars. What they want to
do is really engage with the territory to
provide the means to really meet its needs, in
the finest tradition of all-encompassing
sustainable architecture.

25. 
Taos Pueblo (New Mexico) Arg-e bam (southeastern Iran,)
Djinguereber Mosque (West Africa.) West Africa (Uzbekistan)
Examples of mud construction worldwide