26-10-2018

Introduction
• Foundations
Cost-effective Construction • Walls
Technologies • Roofs
• Opening supports
- A lecture by Ar. Sachin Harry • Doors and Windows

Foundations
• Rammed Earth
• Random Rubble
• Brick Masonry
• Split Bamboo Piles
• Under Reamed Pile Foundation
FOUNDATIONS • Arch Foundation

Rammed Earth Foundation Rammed Earth Foundation

• Rammed earth, also known as pisé (French), is
a technique used in the building of walls using
the raw materials of earth, chalk, lime and
gravel.
• It is an ancient building method that has seen
a revival in recent years as people seek more
sustainable building materials and natural
building methods.
• Rammed earth walls are simple to construct,
incombustible, thermally massive, very strong
and hardwearing.
• Conversely they can be labour-intensive to
construct without machinery (powered rammers),
and if improperly protected or maintained they
are susceptible to water damage.
• Traditionally, rammed earth buildings are found
on every continent except Antarctica.
• From temperate and wet regions of north Europe
to semi dry deserts, mountain areas and the
tropics.
• The availability of useful soil and building design
for the local climatic conditions are the factors
which favour its use.

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Rammed Earth Foundation
• Rammed earth foundations are made of well
graded soil; preferably with a stabiliser for
water resistance and higher strength.
• The site must be well drained and great care is
needed to protect the foundation from
ground moisture, especially with a plastic foil
or bitumen felt.
• Bitumen paint, or a facing of rubble stone or
burnt bricks are alternatives.
Rammed Earth
Foundation
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Rammed Earth Foundation
• When in doubt about suitability of rammed
earth foundations, they should not be used.
• Stabilised soil blocks can be used instead, but
similar protective measures are necessary.
• Wherever possible, the earth foundation
should be placed on a concrete footing.
• The foundation is made in formwork, in the
same way as the walls: layers of 10 cm soil are
tamped down to 6 - 7 cm, before the next
layer is filled up.
Rammed Earth Foundation
Random Rubble Foundation
• These foundations are made of rubble (undressed stone).
• The quality of mortar is of importance to achieve good
strength. An example of a good mix is:
– 4 parts cement,
– 1 part lime,
– 12 parts clean sand, and
– sufficient water to make a workable mix.
• Construction should start on firm, uniform strong subsoil. It
should not be started on grass, black fertile soil, filled up
materials or mud.
• Under the foundation there should be a layer of lean
concrete (min. 5 cm) or tamped sand; minimum depth 40
cm.
• In earthquake areas, reinforcement with wire mesh or steel
rods is required, but professional advice should be sought.
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Random Rubble Foundation
Split Bamboo Piles
• Split-bamboo piles filled up with
loosely wound coconut coir
strands of about 6 mm diameter
each tied up with spirally wound
jute thread along its length and
wrapped with a layer of thickly
knit jute burlap have been
successfully used.
• Treated split-bamboo steps were
holed at random points and tied
up together at regular intervals
with galvanized iron wire after
putting the coconut coir wicks
inside along its entire length.
Under Reamed Pile Foundation
• Such type of foundations is ideally suitable in the
areas where the black cotton soil or expansive
soil is beyond 2.50 metres.
• The basic principle of under reamed pile is to
anchor the structure at a depth where ground
movement is negligible due to moisture variation
or other reasons.
• Simple tools are required for construction of
under-reamed piles like spiral auger, under
reaming tool, and boring guide.
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Brick Foundation
Split Bamboo Piles
• These specially made split-bamboo
piles are used in stabilizing the soft
compressible subsoil of an actual
construction site which consists of a
top layer of about 2 m thick soft to
medium stiff sandy clayey silt
underlain by a layer of about 6 m
thick very soft silty clay which is
again underlain by a layer of
medium dense silty clayey sand.
• The split-bamboo piles, each about 8
m long, 80 to 90 mm diameter, are
driven by a drop hammer at 2 m
spacing in a square grid. After
installation of the piles the entire
area is covered with about 2 m
surcharge of sandy materials.
Under Reamed Pile Foundation
• This is a well proven and established
technology for construction of
foundation in expansive soils.
• For speeding up the construction,
bore and under ream for large
diameter and deeper pile, a
mechanical rig can be used.
• The construction and design of such
foundation can be done in
accordance with Indian Standard
Code of Practice IS 2911-Part III.
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Arch Foundation Arch Foundation

• Method
• In an arch foundation, the walls are supported on brick – Square bases of designed dimensions and positions to be
excavated and then 150 mm thick plain cement concrete (1:3:6)
or stone masonry arches springing from a series of should be laid.
square cement concrete bases as in the sketch. – Soil between these pockets should be cut as per designed
profile and 75 mm thick lean concrete (1:5:10) to be laid on it.
• When to use arch foundation?
– Coarse rubble stone masonry arch and wall should be
– If condition of the soil is good. constructed as a monolith.
– Generally for low rise buildings.
• Advantages
– Saves materials like cement, coarse rubble stone, sand,
etc.
– Labour intensive system.
• Disadvantages
– Requires high degree of technical supervision.

Walls
• Cob Wall Construction
System
• Wattle & Daub
Construction System
• Straw Bale Construction
System
• Rammed Earth Wall
WALLS • Adobe Block Construcn.
Technology
• Compressed Stabilised
Earth Blocks Technology
• Rat-Trap Bond Brick
Masonry
• Ferrocement Wall
Construction System
• Interlocking Cement
Stabilised Mud Block
(ICSMB) Masonry
• Stone Concrete Block
Masonry
• Combined Wire-cut and
Country Brick Masonry

Roofs
• Precast Reinforced • Filler Slab Roofing
Cement Concrete • Jack Arch with Bricks
Channel Roofing and Precast RCC Joist
• Precast Reinforced Roofing
Cement Concrete Plank • Stone on Precast RCC
& Joist Roofing Joist Roofing
• Prefabricated Brick • Micro Concrete Tiled
ROOFS Panel Roofing Roofing
• Precast Hollow Slabs • Corbelled Brick Pyramid
Roofing Roofing
• Precast Ferrocement
Channel Roofing

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Opening Supports and Doors & Windows

Opening Supports Doors & Windows

• Precast Reinforced • Frameless Doors and
Cement Concrete Lintel Windows
• Brick and Reinforced • Brick Jalis
Cement Concrete Lintel
• Brick Arch
OPENING SUPPORTS AND • Brick Corbel Arch
DOORS & WINDOWS