TRIBAL ART CENTER AND MUSEUM AT THE NILGRIS

THESIS
Submitted by

ABHIRAMI S
311214251002

In partial fulfilment of the Requirements

for the award of the degree

of

BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE
ANNA UNIVERSITY

MARG INSTITUTE OF DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE

SWARNABHOOMI
Velur Village, Cheyyur Post

Kanchipuram District

Tamil Nadu - 603302

April 2019

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 DECLARATION

I declare that this Thesis titled

“TRIBAL ART CENTER AND MUSEUM AT THE NILGRIS”

is the result of my work and prepared by me under the guidance of

Mr Vigneswaran and that work reported herein does not form part of any

other thesis of this or any other University. Due acknowledgement have

been made wherever anything has been borrowed from other sources.

Date:

Signature of the Candidate :

Name :

Reg Number :

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 BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

Certified that this Thesis forming part of Course

work AR6081, Thesis, X semester, B.Arch, entitled
“Tribal Art Center and Museum” Submitted by
Ms. Abhirami S, Reg. No 311214251002
to the Department of architecture, MARG Institute of
Design and Architecture Swarnabhoomi(MIDAS), Anna
University, Chennai in partial fulfilment of the requirements
for the award of Bachelor Degree in Architecture is a
bonafide record of work carried by him / her under my
supervision. Certified further that to the best of my
knowledge the work reported herein does not form part of
any other thesis.

Date :
Signature of the Supervisor :
Name :
Designation :

External Examiner 1 External Examiner 2

Date: Date:

HOD DEAN PRINCIPAL

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This project consumed huge amount of work, research and dedication. Still,
implementation would not have been possible if we did not have a support of many
individuals and organizations. Therefore I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to
all of them.

First of all I am grateful to Mr.Vigneswaran (Internal guide) and Ar. Vyom Sinha
(External guide) for provision of expertise, and technical support in the
implementation. Without their superior knowledge and experience, the Project would
like in quality of outcomes, and thus their support has been essential.

Nevertheless, I express my gratitude toward my families and colleagues for their kind
cooperation and encouragement which helped me in completion of this project.

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ABSTRACT

Tribal Cultural Centers: Planning for Today and Tomorrow At the

end of the 20th century, tribal museums were one of the fastest growing
sections of the museum field, but since then little has been published on
the tribal cultural center planning. The study developed a baseline
about tribal cultural centers across India. This research asked: What do
tribal museums look like? How are they formed? And, why are they
relevant? This survey was divided into ten sections to analyze basic
information, facility, planning, land, construction, collections, visitation,
and design. This study discovered that the tribal cultural centers
included within the research were built to tell the stories of their people
to their people and others. They had a range of sizes and funding
sources, but still strive to do similar things. While tribal members were not
the most frequent visitors, these facilities would not exist without them.
Tribes who are interested in planning cultural centers need to remember
the two types of audiences that attend these facilities, and remember
to think about the purpose of the facility during the planning process for
creating a new cultural center.

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1.AIM
To design a space for the tribal people which would help
them research and understand the cultural practices of the other
tribes for the upliftment and promotion of their art forms through
the vernacular style of architecture.

2.OBJECTIVES

● To study art, culture, tradition and religious beliefs of the tribal

people.
● To support and promote local art culture by providing spaces for
them to meet, exhibit, teach and perform.
● To provide an institution which encourages civic participation in
conserving history, culture and environment.
● To create a knowledge hub for aspiring people.
● To use appropriate materials to create a sustainable environment.
● To aid directly in the communication and promotion of the
rich and diverse cultures of India, with particular emphasis on
the cultures of the people of the South.

3.SCOPE
To meet the objectives and to treasure the rich culture of the tribal
people by providing workshop spaces where the urban population gets
a chance to meet the tribal population. Providing a museum that helps
in funding for the upliftment of the people and it acts as a tourist
attraction which creates an awareness about the indigenous tribes. This
helps in preserving their art as well as add economic value.

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4. CASE STUDY
4.1 LITERATURE CASE STUDY
National – Sanskriti Kala Kendra, New Delhi.
International – Jean Marie Tjibaou Cultural Center, New Caledonia.

4.2 LIVE CASE STUDY

MP Tribal Museum, Bhopal.
Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal

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5.METHODOLOGIES

DATA COLLECTION
National – Sanskriti Kala
TRIBAL ART CENTER AND MUSEUM AT THE

Kendra, New Delhi.

LITERATURE STUDY
International – Jean Marie
Tjibaou Cultural Center, New
Caledonia
NILGRIS

MP Tribal Museum, Bhopal

CASE STUDY

Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal

SPECIAL STUDY SIREWALL

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6.A BRIEF STUDY OF THE INDIGENOUS TRIBAL COMMUNITIES OF THE
NILGRIS BIOSPHERE RESERVE.

6.1 GEOGRAPHY OF TAMIL NADU

Covering an area of over 130,000 square kilometers, India’s southern-
most state has a variety of landscapes, terrains and habitats. There are
beautiful, wave-lapped golden beaches and emerald green paddy
fields; lush tropical forests and cool mountain ranges. There is a
staggering variety of flowers, trees, birds, mammals, marine life, insects
and reptiles, a nature-made counterpoint to the cultural and historical
riches of the state. It is mineral-rich, with abundant reserves of lignite,
quartz, bauxite, limestone, graphite and granite.

FIG 1: Map of Tamilnadu

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Tamil Nadu’s northern-most point is Lake Pulicat, a brackish water lake or
lagoon that is home to a large variety of birds. The southern extremity of
the state is also India’s Land’s End, Cape Comorin, or Kanyakumari. The
Mudumalai National Park, the densely forested, flora-and-fauna rich
part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is at the western end, and Point
Calimere, bulging out gently into the Bay of Bengal is Tamil Nadu’s
eastern limit.

Tamil Nadu has a rich diversity of plants, animals, birds, insects and
aquatic life, a good proportion of it native to the state. It has taken an
active role in the conservation of this natural heritage, and has set up
and developed active eco-tourism and management programmes.

Ancient Tamil poetry describes five geographical landscapes in Tamil

country, each evoking a particular emotional state and imagery. These
are Kurinji, or mountainous regions; Mullai, or forests; Marudham, the
fertile croplands and plains; Neidhal, or the seashore, and Palai, the
desert or wasteland. All of these exist in Tamil Nadu, and are a lovely
framework to explore the natural landscape of the state.

FIG 2: Location of Western Ghats

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6.2 KURINJI – MOUNTAINS

 Goddess : Seyon
 People : kuravar , poruppan, verpan, cilampan, natan, koticci,
Kanwar
 Trees : Vengai, Akil, Sandalwood, Bamboo
 Animals : Monkey, bear, tiger, pig
 Bird : Parrot, peacock
 Drum : Throat (Thondagam in Tamil), frenzy (Veriyaatu in Tamil)
 Instrument : Kurinji Jaffna (Yaazh)
 Flowers : Kurinji , Kanthal , Vengai
 Industry : Tuberculosis, honey, horticulture, degradation
 Water level : Brook, stream
 Food : Millet, hill, mangornery
 Trail : Sirukudi

There are several mountain and hill ranges in Tamil Nadu. Foremost
among these are the Anamalais, or the Elephant Hills, that rise sharply
from the plains past Coimbatore. Geologically, they are formed from
metamorphic gneiss, with veins of feldspar and quartz, and a scattering
of reddish porphyrite. The Anamudi Mountain, at over 2600 meters high,
is the tallest point in all of South India. The Anamalais are part of the
Western Ghats, the ridged edge of the Deccan Plateau, that run along
India’s western flank. This is one of the most bio-diverse spots in the world,
the habitat for a staggering variety of flora and fauna. The Indira Gandhi
Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park, Tamil Nadu’s largest wildlife

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sanctuary, is in the Anamalais. It is a birder’s dream come true with over
300 bird species, including the Great Pied Hornbill and the extremely
rare Frogmouth. Animals include tigers, leopards, elephants, Nilgiri tahr
and flying squirrels.

Further north, and also part of the Western Ghats at the meeting point of
3 states - Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu - are the Nilgiris or the Blue
Mountains. With at least two dozen peaks that rise above 2000 meters,
they are probably best known as the home of the hill stations of
Uthagamandalam (Ootacamund) and Coonoor that are popular
retreats from the searing summer heat for people from all over Tamil
Nadu and beyond. One of the first wildlife sanctuaries to be established
in India, the Mudumalai National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, is in the
Nilgiris, and is home to several threatened and endangered species like
elephants, chital, gaur, tigers and leopards. Like the Indira Gandhi Park,
the Mudumalai Park is also a tiger reserve, and the government is active
in protecting and conserving the habitat and lives of the tigers in these
reserves.

The Western Ghats receive abundant rainfall and provide fertile ground
for the coffee, tea and spice plantations that thrive on its hillsides.

In addition to the Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu also includes the tail-end of
the Eastern Ghats, an irregular and broken chain of hills and mountains
running along eastern India. The Eastern Ghats end, somewhat tamely,
near the Vaigai River in Tamil Nadu. The Shevaroy Hills and the hill-station
of Yercaud in the northern part of the state, are perhaps the best-known
of the Eastern Ghat ranges in Tamil Nadu.

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Fig 3: Map of Indigenous Communities

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6.3 INDIGENOUS TRIBAL GROUP
Within Tamil Nadu there are 36 scheduled tribes, many of which
can be found within the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve. Of those who are
considered as part of the scheduled tribes in Tamil Nadu, there are six
groups that are approved as Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs), all of
which can be found in the NBR: Kattunaickens , Kotas,
Kurumbas, Irulas, Paniyans, and Todas. The characteristics of
a PTG include: “a pre-agriculture level of technology, a stagnant
or declining population, extremely low literacy, and a subsistence
level of economy” (P.5, Paniyans of Nilgiri District Tamil Nadu).
When defining a tribe there can be a multitude of answers. On
description from the Tribal Cultural Documentation sources a definition
from anthropologist T.B. Nayak that directly states –
“A tribe is a social group with territorial affiliation, endogamous,
with no specialization of functions, ruled by tribal officers, hereditary or
otherwise, united in language or dialect… following tribal traditions,
beliefs and customs illiberal of naturalization of ideas from alien sources,
above all conscious of a homogeneity of ethnic and territorial
integration” (p.1, Paniyans of Nilgiri District Tamil Nadu). The tribes of
India play a major role in constructing the cultural heritage of
India. The development of tribal population has been a major concern
for the Indian government. These tribal people are located in the
hilly terrains of the Nilgris, Tamilnadu and they are involved in activities
like tea production. Residing in the mountain terrains, they have
been striving to uphold their indigenous tradition and customs from
any foreign influence. Kota, Toda,Irula and Kurumba are the four tribes
that are being concentrated in this study.

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6.4 POPULATION STATSTICS
Kota - 3110
Toda - 2978
Irula - 1, 89,621
Kurumba - 25,048

6.5 KURUMBA
Kurumba art is a unique tribal art form found in the Nilgris. The Kurumba
art is an expression of its socio-religious fabric. Four colours are
used traditionally: Red (“Semm manna”) and white (“Bodhi manna”)
are soils, black is obtained from the bark of a tree (“Kari maran”)
and green from the leaves of a plant (“Kaatavarai sedi”). A piece of
cloth is used to apply the colours onto the cowdung prepared walls.
Nowadays a fresh coat of plaster is given to the wall before painting
begins.
This tribe is spread throughout Tamil Nadu and within the Nilgiris there
are seven distinct groups, each with their own unique features. They
are known, even by the other surrounding tribes, for their skilled
abilities in the forest, such as with honey hunting. This is one of the few
groups that is daring enough to scale large cliffs in order to collect
honey from the massive hives of Apis dorsata. They are regarded as
the “honey cutting lords of the woods” (Jenu Koyyo Shola Nayakars)
because of this expertise.

As is seen among other Nilgiri tribes, the Kurumbas have an

art and musical culture. Traditionally it is the men who practice the
arts (also are more likely the priests or temple caretakers) while the

15
women are more involved with decorating the home. Some of
the common instruments among the Kurumbas are the bamboo
pipes (bugiri and Kuvalu), 2 faced drums (are), and 1 faced drum
(tambatte). There are two kinds of dances, one called the
gandesa attam that is performed by the men while the other is
called the yen attam is performed by the women.

Within the Nilgiris , the Kurumbas have a close connection with the
Badaga community, such as with ethno-medicine and even providing
music at a variety of Badaga festivals. They are an adivasi group that is
somewhat specialized in foraging patterns, given that they are more
focused on medicinal plants and honey. Historically they are known for
their sorcery powers and ability of finding medicine in the forest. With
regards to honey, they harvest all the different varieties and the honey
collected from Apis florea and Dammer bees is not sold. Rather, it is
kept for medicinal and food purposes, especially for pregnant
women and children. They are hunter-gatherers as well as jungle
dwellers found within the lower region / forested belt of the Nilgiris,
specifically in Gudular, Kotagiri, and Kil-Kotagiri.

6.5.1 Jenu Kurumbas – This Kurumba division is found in the northern

region of the reserve, concentrated in Mysore and Kodagu districts, and
they have jenu in the name because the word means honey, for which
they are skilled in collecting. In some cases they own land and cultivate
land but mostly do seasonal wage labor during the seasons when they
are not collecting forest produce, especially honey. The social
organization of their groups is known as sangams.

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6.5.2 Aalu Kurumbas – This group of Kurumbas is mostly found at the
mid-range within the southern and eastern belt of the Nilgiris. They
are further divided into two specific endogamous groups, being the
Nagara and the Bellaga, which could be further divided into
several different clans or Kulams. In their governance system they
have what is called a mothali, which administers the village, along
with the help of three assistants that each have a specialization
(agriculture, marriage, and one as the messenger). Their villages
(also known as motta or kombai) are typically constructed with
bamboo, mud securing, and tiled roofs. Nowadays, more villages from
this group can be found at the edge of forests, both ekking out a living
from their lands and through wage labor.
6.5.3 Betta Kurumbas – This group lives in the northern parts of the Nilgiri,
specifically in the Gudular district. They are known for living in large
settlements, which can be up to 60-80 settlements. Their livelihoods
are mostly dependent upon wage labor, however they are not
major honey collectors. The wage labor is especially due to the
rapid growth of tea cultivation in Gudular. In regards to NTFPs, they are
very skilled at finding medicinal plants and herbs, and especially
collect kodampuli and shikakai during the season.
6.5.4 Yanai – experts in trapping elephants and being mahouts
6.5.5 Mullu Kurumbas – This group is concentrated in the Waynaad
region as well as parts of Gudular. They are best known for their
abilities with hunting and bird catching, and the women are skilled at
fishing. In addition, they now practice agriculture within the Wayanad
vayals (fields). The traditions of animism still prevail within their
religion even though much of their cultural practices of the present
day are borrowed from Nayars of Kerala.

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6.6 KOTA
The Kota pottery included delicately conceived terracotta jewellery
along with terracotta tumblers, pots, vases, tea cups, mugs, wall
hangings and so on. Kota men have traditionally specialized in
blacksmithing, silversmithing, roof thatching, basket making, wood-and
leatherworking, and musical-instrument making.
From whom Kotagiri, one of the Nilgiri districts, was named. In total, there
are seven Kota villages dispersed throughout the hills. They are best
known for being the artisans of the various adivasis in the Nilgiri. Their
artisan skills include being: blacksmiths, tanners, rope makers,
carpenters, potters and gold and silversmiths. In addition, to bartering
the artisanal goods and services as a form of livelihood they also
cultivate land for various crops like grains and herbs.

Their pottery goods and tools were once especially traded with the
Badaga and Toda communities before being replaced by more
modern equipment, yet their artisanal goods are still desired for ritualistic
purposes. It is the women of the village who shape and mold the distinct
style of Kota pottery and the men contribute by helping to construct the
wheel and digging for the clay. The main deities for the Kota are Ainor,
Amnor, and Kamtraaya (creator of the universe). Each village will have
two temples that are dedicated to the Ainor and Amnor, and their most
significant festival is to commemorate Kamtraaya at the onset of their
annual cycle of rituals.

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6.7 TODA
The Toda Embroidery, is an art work among the Toda pastoral
people of Nilgiris, in Tamil Nadu, made exclusively by their
women. The embroidery, which has a fine finish, appears like a
woven cloth but is made with use of red and black threads with
a white cotton clothbackground. Both sides of the embroidered fabric
are usable and the Toda people are proud of this heritage. Both men
and women adorn themselves with the embroidered cloaks and shawls.

They are one of the smaller Nilgiri tribes with a population of about 1500
that are spread throughout the Nilgiris among ~60 settlements. They are
known for being nomadic pastoralists who look after their herds of semi-
domesticated buffalo. Hence, they are mostly found among the hills or
upper plateaus where there are natural shola grasslands that are
necessary for the buffalo to graze. With their buffalo they also practice
dairying and are strictly vegetarian having mainly a diet of milk products
and millets/cereals.

Grasslands are significant to the lives of the Toda however, they have
had to convert some of the land for agriculture purposes, albeit
cultivation is not a preferred form of livelihood. Nevertheless, the
grasslands and their buffalo that roam them are held as sacred and
much of the Toda rituals are related to this animal and the milk it
provides. They also have a practice of burning the grasslands through

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fire control, which is meant to help maintain a healthy ecosystem and
even indirectly provides a higher yield of honey.

Collecting honey is also a major part of their livelihoods, being also part
of their sacred beliefs, such as with mythology and names of rivers. They
have a very distinct practice with honey collection in which they refer to
their ancestral trees (handed down from father to son) as sirfs and from
the cavities of these trees they collect the honey of Apis cerana. When
taking the honey comb they do not use any fire or smoke, but merely
blow into the cavity to calm and move the bees, and then extract the
honey. Thus the brood is not destroyed in the honey collection process
and insures that the colony returns every year.
Another unique feature of the Toda community is their style of dress
known as Puthukulli that is made of thick cotton and with distinct
patterns of the colors red, blue, and/or black. The women are also
known for wearing long ringlets in their hair, which is kept in shape with
the use of buffalo ghee. The villages are referred to as munds and the
traditional shape of home are rounded huts that are made with different
resources from the forest. Nowadays these types of homes are less
common to live in, yet every village still has a sacred mund style hut for a
temple and a place to store the buffalo milk. Their belief system is mostly
based on the divine beings such as Tokisy, On, and Kwatene. In addition,
they not only have a great respect and knowledge of the land (inclusive
of the fauna and flora) but also revere the natural world as sacred.

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6.8 IRULA
The Irula make their own drums and wind instruments for their
musical enjoyment. The Kota of the upper Nilgiris generally no
longer supply music as they once traditionally did, so the Irula are
now frequently employed as musicians at Badaga and Toda
funerals. They also make medicinal herbs.
This hunter gatherer community is found in the southern and eastern
slopes of Nilgiris, and are also spread throughout much of Tamil
Nadu. It is believed by anthropologists that the Irulas were not originally
found in the hills but were and are a people more of the plains. Likely
they moved up to the hills while doing their slash and burn cultivation.
In addition to agriculture such as subsistence farming with tea and
coffee, the Irulas also hunt and gather food. This includes honey
collection, which is done mainly with Apis dorsata and Apis cerana.

They also collect medicinal plants and other NTFPs, much of which
they gather in volume in order to trade. Overall, their form of
livelihood is a mix between hunter- gathering, wage labor, and
agriculture, such as rearing cattle and cultivating land. When
honey hunting they use much of the same tools as Kurumbas, such
as burning leaves as a smoker (they refer to as Raja Tulasi) for
protection and making rope adder from certain tree fibres. In this
honey collection tradition they also perform spiritual rituals like refusing
to eat meat prior to the hunt or praying on the honey rock (the
cliff where hives can be found).

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In addition, they designate some cliffs as sacred, believing spirits live
in them, and thus do not harvest from there but send a small prayer
during the season. When potential honey hives are found prior to the
collection season they mark with tobacco to warn other people that
they comb has been claimed. Once honey is collected, the first of the
harvested comb will be offered as a gratitude to the gods in three
different directions. The Irulas also are known for the sacred groves
that they call “thoga” and their burial sites that they refer to as
“koppe”.

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6.9 LIMITATION
There are about 36 tribes in the Nilgris. Not all the tribes are
taken into account and the spaces are not designed for all of
them. The four main tribes with rich culture and art skills that are
deteriorating in the present are the mai focus in this design. There are
spaces being provided for the other art forms like workshops and
storage rooms for the same. They are categorised under common
spaces and can be used occasionally by anyone. Temporary
Exhibit spaces will also be provided. The proposal aspires to solve
various programmatic and social issues that arise for the tribal
people.

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7. MATERIAL STUDY

SIRE WALL – Structural Insulated Rammed Earth Wall

7.1 WHY SIRE WALL?

It takes nearly 100 trees to build a building and 60,000 trees
to build the neighborhood buildings. Each year 135 million tons of
waste is produced out of building construction. This is enough
garbage to fill 50,000 football field. Houses and other building use 40% of
world energy.
Right now all the building are filled with toxic substance like volatile
organic compounds in adhesives, paints and dry wall which
causes cancer, developmental toxicant , reproductive toxicant.
Formaldehydes in fiberglass insulation, drywall mud and
plywood sheeting which causes asthma exacerbation ,chronic
respiratory illness and cancer. Fungicides in drywall, framing lumber
and sliding which produces liver toxicant , skin toxicants and
blood toxicants. Adding to above a building is made up of many more
chemical substances.
Sire wall is a technique for constructing foundations,
floors, and walls using natural raw materials such as earth, chalk,
lime, or gravel. It is an ancient method that has been revived
recently as a sustainable building material used in a technique
of natural building.

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7.1.1 ADVANTAGES OF SIRE WALL
 simple to manufacture,
 acts as insulators,
 non-combustible,
 eco-friendly,
 thermally massive,
 strong, and
 durable.

7.1.2 DISADVANTAGES OF SIRE WALL

 Laborious
 Requires skilled labor

7.2 SOIL STABILIZATION

Soil stabilization comprises a variety, and often combination, of
modification processes to improve soil properties, including strength and
resistance to water. In addition to compaction, an inherent element of
rammed earth construction that seeks to maximise material density,
stabilizing additives can be combined with the natural soil. Additives
generally fall into two classes: those that materially increase strength
and reduce moisture absorption; and to those that reduce moisture
absorption and moisture movement but do not appreciably increase
strength. Additives commonly used in rammed earth are briefly
considered in this review.

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7.3 SOIL SPECIFICATION
Colour
Natural soil is available in a very wide range of colours, including reds,
yellows, browns, greys, greens, blues, white, and black. Red colour soils
are often preferred. Variation in aggregate colour can lead to non-
uniform finishes. Though other parameters, such as strength and erosion
resistance, are more likely to govern soil selection, colour is an important
aesthetic consideration for the client and designer. Natural colours can
be varied by using additives, such as lime and cement, or by blending
different soils. The use of varying coloured soils has been used very
effectively by a number of builders, to enhance the stratified (layered)
finish. Use of some surface treatments, such as sodium silicate and PVA,
can alter the surface colour, and should generally be checked before
main application.

7.4 SELECTION CRITERIA FOR NATURAL RAMMED EARTH

A wide variety of sub-soils have been used for natural rammed earth
buildings, with the exception of uniform coarse sands and gravels with
no fines or cementing agents. For earth wall construction, the soil should
contain all four elements. Ideally the soil should have a high
sand/gravel content, with some silt and just enough clay to act as a
binder and assist soil compaction. Any material coarser than 5-10mm
should be sieved out. Previous experimental work indicates that
increasing gravel size reduces the compressive strength of rammed
earth cylinders. However more research is warranted to define grading
for rammed earth, especially maximum gravel size and proportions.
Proposals tend to converge towards a 30%-70% balance between
clay/silt and sand proportions. Nevertheless no soil is likely to be ideal

26
with regards to all of the aspects considered and therefore researchers
around the world usually publish upper and lower limits for each of the
main soil elements. the upper range limits for clay, silt, sand and gravel
for rammed earth construction, as proposed by various researchers. In
general the percentages are ‘by mass’, though in some cases it is not
clear whether the percentages stated by the author were ‘by volume’
or ‘by mass’.

it is clear that in broad terms there is some agreement on the limits

between the main soil elements. The minimum percentage of combined
clay and silt should be between 20%-25% while the maximum between
30%-35%. Similarly, the minimum percentage of sand should be between
50%-55% while the maximum is between 70%-75%. Some anomalies can
be explained on the basis of different limits for the soil constituents, as
stated previously. Based on various experimental data, CRATerre-EAG
has produced a graph including grading curve limits for rammed earth
construction. The graph is in agreement with the limits stated previously
and can readily display when correction of grain size distribution may be
required.

7.5 SELECTION CRITERIA FOR CEMENT STABILIZED RAMMED EARTH

Soils for cement stabilized rammed earth tend to have proportionally
higher sand and gravel content and correspondingly lower fines
content. In broad terms the criteria presented are in agreement. For
example, a soil suitable for cement stabilization should have a significant
sand content, at least greater than 50% and preferably closer to 75%,
and at the same time low clay content, typically less that 25%. As in the
case of unstabilized rammed earth, these criteria are intended as a

27
broad initial guide for soil selection and include recommendations for
soil blocks as well as rammed earth.

7.6 DURABILITY

Durability in the context of earth construction means the ability of the

structure and all its elements to withstand the destructive action of
weathering and other actions without degradation to the expected
service life. Rain and frost are the most destructive natural actions
causing erosion and deterioration of the earthen elements. Accidental
abrasion is also a significant agent of deterioration. Some previous
studies have noted relationship between compressive strength or
durability and accelerated durability test performance.

7.7 RAINFALL EROSION

The performance of natural rammed earth under driving rain cannot be

readily predicted in the absence of test data. However, at the same
time there is little correlative data between laboratory tests and field
erosion. Building element erosion is complicated by various parameters,
such as exposure, shelter and maintenance. Two main test procedures
have been developed to measure the relative erosion resistance of
earth elements, namely water drip tests and spray tests. A third test
procedure, based on repeated wetting and drying cycles is widely used
for cement stabilised materials but is not generally suitable for natural
earth and thus has not been included in this review. A variety of different
drip and spray test procedures have been proposed; two of the more
widely used for natural rammed earth are outlined here. There is little or
28
no correlative data between accelerated test performance and actual
building performance of materials. Consequently, pass/fail test criteria
are somewhat arbitrary.

7.8 SHRINKAGE

Rammed earth, as all earth building materials containing clay, swell on

contact with water and shrink on drying. In both cases failure might
occur and hence swelling/shrinkage control is vital. The extent of these
phenomena is very much dependent on clay present (type, amount),
soil grading and moisture content changes. Only experimental data can
confidently predict the percentage of shrinkage expected for a
particular soil.

7.9 CEMENT STABILIZATION

There various advantages when using cement as a stabilizer. Soil

samples gain Strength from both the formation of a cement gel matrix
that binds together the soil particles and the bonding of the surface-
active particles, like clay, within the soil. High levels of cement
stabilisation improve the surface coating and reduce erosion while
increasing the cement has a considerable influence in improving the
resistance of soils vulnerable to frost attack. However there are notable
disadvantages using cement. The permeability of most soils is reduced
and hence the natural ability of earth to allow passage of moisture
throughout the soil mass is also significantly impaired. Environmental
impact of cement production and reduced ability for recycling of
rammed earth are also significant arguments against widespread use of

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cement in rammed earth construction. Less significantly, thermal
conductivity, compared to lime stabilized blocks, is reportedly increased.

7.10 THICKNESS OF WALL

Internal External

125mm 200mm

7.11 DESIGN

7.11.1 OUTLINE

Site characteristics, including local climate, topography, wind direction,

and Sunlight orientation, have an important influence in the design of
successful rammed earth buildings. These factors, together with others,
will influence the way the house is located and orientated within the
boundaries of the site. The architectural plan is also of course influenced
by client requirements of aesthetics, functionality, comfort and
efficiency.

7.11.2 SITE CHARACTERISTICS

Design in sympathy to local site conditions is now widely recognised as

one of The fundamental principles of good ‘green’ building design. This
review does not seek to repeat these principles in any significant detail
here, but rather outline their influence on design and construction of
rammed earth buildings as mentioned in available published literature.

7.11.3 LOCAL CLIMATE

Local climatic conditions have a significant influence on design of

successful low energy buildings. Rammed earth is generally considered
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to be well suited to passive solar design as its high mass and hygroscopic
nature contribute to regulation of internal temperature and humidity,
reducing the need for active heating and air conditioning systems. Most
sites will experience a wide variety of weather patterns over the course
of twelve months. Climate appropriate architecture should reflect that
variety. The very basic principles of good architectural design as a
response to the local climate, in the context of rammed earth, is
summarised as follows:
__ in hot humid climates, provisions for wide porches and large screened
windows with cross ventilation should be made;
__ in hot dry climates, thick walls, small windows and night-time
ventilation
should be utilised in order to reduce cooling loads by using the thermal
mass of the walls to counteract daytime heat gains;
__ in climates where the demand for winter heating exceeds that for
summer Cooling and the winter days are typically clear and sunny, large
south-facing windows (in the northern hemisphere) and thermal mass
floors should be used to reduce heating loads; and
__ in regions where winters are long, cold and grey the best approach is
to build small well-insulated buildings with low ceilings and a minimum of
exterior wall surface exposed to the weather.

7.11.4 SITE TOPOGRAPHY

The direction and severity of natural slopes on a site is an important
consideration. A flat site, away from watercourses, allows greatest
flexibility
when orienting a building and can simplify the construction, since all

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foundations can be of equal size (when subsoil conditions are also
uniform), and the site can often be more readily accessible during
construction. Hillsides can stimulate internal building air movements from
prevailing winds, though cold air tends to gather at the bottom of slopes
and wind velocities increase further uphill.

7.11.5 ARCHITECTURAL PLANS

Design layouts for residential houses around the world are as a diverse as
the natural climates, cultures and wealth of the people that live in them.
As energy efficient buildings should seek to adapt to the individual
characteristics of their siting any published plans for rammed earth
buildings will have limited general application. Few architectural plans
have been published for rammed earth houses. The Indian National
Buildings Organisation produced a typical recommended layout of a
modest 20 m2 rammed earth house intended for landless rural families.
Further those available from drier and hotter climates, such as south-
western USA and Australia, probably have limited application in the UK.
Some of the most significant plans available are those produced during
building of the experimental cottages in Amesbury, Wiltshire. Ten
experimental houses, including eight two-storey chalk pisé houses, were
built between 1919 and 1921. As part of the experiments straw, ‘mud’ or
cement were also used in some of the buildings. External loadbearing
walls are formed from 450 mm thick chalk pisé. Internal space is
maximised by using thinner partition walls of fired clay brickwork.
Reinforced concrete lintels may be either pre-cast or cast in-situ. Care
should be taken to ensure that adequate reinforcement and adequate

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cover is provided for the beam in accordance with the local codes and
regulations. The concrete lintel can be seated directly on the earth wall
or on a mortar bed and, as a minimum, Standards Australia
recommends a lintel width equal to the width of the supporting wall.
Detailed reinforcement proposals for concrete lintels for various loading
cases are included.

FIG 4: Anchor for doors and windows

FIG 5: Details of Window jambs

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FIG 6: Details of door jamb sections

FIG 7: Details of door head section

FIG 8 : Reinforced concrete beam roof connections

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FIG 9(a): Pneumatic rammer
FIG 9(b): Modern concrete shuttering for rammed earth

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8. SITE LOCATION

FIG 10: Map

FIG 11: Macro size view of site from Google Maps

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FIG 12: Site Top View

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FIG 13: Site Image 1

FIG 14: Site image 2

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FIG 15: Site image 3

FIG 16: Site image 4 Fig 17: Sun path

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