Testing and Characterisation of Earth-based Building Materials and Elements

This book presents the work done by the RILEM Technical Committee 274-TCE. It focuses on the estimation of the parameters which are necessary to properly design earthen constructions. It provides a compilation of the value classically obtained for the key parameters of earthen materials, a pedagogical presentation of the main testing procedures for earthen materials, their advantage and their drawback and an overview of most standards on earthen materials, whatever their origin and their language.The book is divided into eight chapters. After a general introduction on earthen materials and constructions, the state of the art on the material characterisation technics, the assessment of hygrothermal performance, the mechanical behaviour, seismic resistance and the durability will be presented, each in a dedicated chapter. On the basis of these last chapters, a critical review of the standards which are used for earthen material will be presented in the last chapter. The last chapter is dedicated to the analysis of the environmental potential of earth-based building materials.

Jean-Claude Morel is professor at the Centre for the Built and Natural Environment, Coventry University, UK, and also serves as director of research of the French Ministry of Sustainabilty at Ecole Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'Etat of Lyon, France.Domenico Gallipoli is professor at University of Genoa, Italy, and researcher at Institut Supérieur Aquitain du Bâtiment et Travaux Publics, Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, France.Venkatarama Reddy B.V. is professor at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. His research interests include structural masonry, mechanics of materials, energy in buildings, green buildings, low carbon construction materials, flowable earth mix concrete, geopolymers and recycling solid wastes into construction materials.Jean-Emmanuel Aubert is professor at Laboratoire Matériaux et Durabilité des Constructions, University Paul Sabatier in Toulouse, France. His research themes are the sustainable and low-impacts construction materials especially in the fields of waste valorization in concrete and road construction, and earthen construction materials.