INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION

TECHNIQUES IN VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE

SUBMITTED BY:
AYUSH NARIYAL (15006)
NIKITA BISHT (15024)
PEARL SEHRAWAT (15025)
RAKSHA WALDIA (15029)
 MATERIALS USED IN VERNACULAR BUILDINGS

1. Cob :-
• Cob is a technique of building monolithic walls using “cobs” of moist earth and straw.
• To make cob  mixing of local earth with sand and/or clay (depending on the
composition of the base earth) and straw or other fibrous materials is done to create
a stiff mud which is formed into small loaves (cobs).
• They are then mashed together
to form a monolithic wall on top
concrete foundation  or stone.
• It is fireproof, resistant to seismic
activity, and inexpensive. It can
be used to create artistic, sculptural
forms and has been revived in
recent years by the natural building
and sustainability movements.
2. Adobe :-
• Adobes are sun-dried mud bricks stacked with a mud mortar to create thick-
walled structures.
• Adobe bricks are made with a completely
saturated mixture of clay and sand,
poured or pressed into forms, which are
then removed.
• After the bricks have dried for several
days, they are turned on edge for further
drying, and then stacked for transport or
for use on site.
3. Earthen Floors :-
• The technique involves pouring or tamping one or several layers of an earth
mixture over a substrate of gravel, or sand .
• Hardening agents such as lime or glue may be added.
TECHNIQUES
 CORDWOOD
CONSTRUCTION
• Cordwood construction is a construction method in which
"cordwood" or short pieces of debarked tree are laid up
crosswise with masonry or cob mixtures to build a wall.
CORDWOOD
CONSTRUCTION
• Walls typically range between
12 and 24 inches thick.
• Wood usually accounts for
about 40-60% of the wall
system, the remaining portion
consisting of a mortar mix and
insulating fill.
• There are two main types of
cordwood construction,
throughwall and M-I-M
(mortar-insulation-mortar).
CORDWOOD
CONSTRUCTION
• In throughwall, the mortar mix itself contains an insulative
material, usually sawdust, chopped newsprint, or paper sludge,
in sometimes very high percentages by mass (80% paper
sludge/20% mortar).
• In the more common M-I-M, and unlike brick or throughwall
masonry, the mortar does not continue throughout the wall.
Instead, three- or four-inch (sometimes more) beads of mortar
on each side of the wall provide stability and support, with a
separate insulation between them.
• Cordwood walls can be load-bearing (using built-up corners, or
curved wall designed) or laid within a post and beam
framework which provides structural reinforcement and is
suitable for earthquake-prone areas.
 DHAJJI WALL
• In the ancient language of carpet weavers, the Old Farsi word
‘Dhajji’ was used to describe patchwork quilts. Because of its
visual similarity the same term was applied to a traditional
building technique of the Kashmir mountains.
 DHAJJI WALL
• A Dhajji wall is strong because:
• The small panels distribute the earthquake energy evenly.
• The friction between all the small elements and their in-fills
breaks down the energy.
• There may be a lot of small cracks which are not dangerous.
• But large destructive cracks become very rare.
 DHAJJI WALL
• Dhajji construction is made of highly subdivided light timber
frames with masonry infills.
• A well proportioned framed
structure is very essential for
the Dhajji Wall. Main posts of
sizes 4”x4” should be 4 feet-6
feet apart. Panels to receive
should be small with the
distance between vertical
posts be not exceeding 2 feet.
 DHAJJI WALL
• Dhajji framed structure consist of following types of joints:
Dasa extension joints, Wall joints and Corner joints.
• Dasa Extension Joints: For making the Dasa longer, scarf joints
or lap joints are used.
 DHAJJI WALL
• Wall Joints: To join
the posts with the
dasa, tenon and
mortise joints are
used. Posts can be
joined with the dasa
with the help of nails
or straps.
 DHAJJI WALL
• Corner Joints: To
make the Corner
joints, quarter
tenon and half
tenon joints are
used.
BHONGA ARCHITECTURE
• The Bhonga is a traditional construction type in the Kutch
district of the Gujarat.
BHONGA ARCHITECTURE
• The Bhonga has a conical roof supported by cylindrical walls.
Bhonga construction has existed for several hundred years.
This type of house is quite durable and appropriate for
prevalent desert conditions.
BHONGA ARCHITECTURE
• Masonry wall is made of adobe blocks and plaster is also from
mud covered by cow dung, lime etc.
BHONGA ARCHITECTURE
• Roof is made of bamboo/wooden framework covered with
thatch.
BHONGA ARCHITECTURE
• Construction Techniques generally used “COB”. In these
methods a large Lump is roughly moulded into the shape of a
huge elongated egg.
• A row of these cobs of mud are laid nearly 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 smoothened over so that the holes and
cracks disappear.
BHONGA ARCHITECTURE
BHONGA ARCHITECTURE
BHONGA ARCHITECTURE

Settlement Design, Ludia Region, Kutch, Gujarat

TROMBE WALL
• Trombe wall is an effective feature of passive solar design
incorporating a thermal storage and delivery system.
TROMBE WALL
• A typical Trombe wall consists of an 8- to 16-inch thick
masonry wall coated with a dark, heat-absorbing material
and faced with a single or double layer of glass.

• The glass is placed from about 3/4” to 6” away from the

masonry wall to create a small airspace.

• A selective surface, generally, a sheet of metal foil glued to

the outside surface of the wall.

• High absorbance of the metal turns the light into heat at

the wall’s surface, and low emittance prevents the heat
from radiating back towards the glass.
TROMBE WALL
• For a 16-inch thick Trombe wall, heat will take about 8 to 10
hours to reach the interior of the building. This means that
rooms remain comfortable through the day and receive
slow, even heating for many hours after the sun sets.
TROMBE WALL
• There is a misconception that Trombe walls must be full
height, completely blocking light and direct solar gain into the
adjacent living space.

• Trombe walls can be built to whatever height suits the needs

of the home owner, their reduced height simply reducing the
solar absorption area and increasing direct light and heat gain
area.

• Half-height Trombe walls are a relatively simple solution that

can greatly enhance the solar storage capacity of a passive
solar home, whilst still allowing for views to the sun's winter
direction.
TROMBE WALL
STRAW-BALE
CONSTRUCTION
• Straw-bale construction is a building method that uses bales
of straw (wheat, rice, oats etc. straw) as structural elements,
building insulation, or both.
STRAW-BALE
CONSTRUCTION
• Research has shown that straw-bale construction is a
sustainable method for building, from the standpoint of
both materials and energy needed for heating and cooling.
• Advantages of straw-bale construction over conventional
building systems include the renewable nature of straw,
cost, easy availability, and high insulation value.
• Disadvantages include susceptibility to rot, difficulty of
obtaining insurance coverage, and high space requirements
for the straw itself.
• Straw bale building typically consists of stacking rows of
bales (often in running-bond) on a raised footing or
foundation, with a moisture barrier or capillary break
between the bales and their supporting platform.
STRAW-BALE
CONSTRUCTION
• Bale walls can be tied
together with pins of bamboo
or wood (internal to the bales
or on their faces), or with
surface wire meshes, and
then stuccoed or plastered,
either with a lime-based
formulation or earth/clay
render.
STRAW-BALE
CONSTRUCTION

Pilgrim Holiness Church in Arthur, Nebraska, Built 1928.

STRAW-BALE
CONSTRUCTION
• Typically "field bales" (bales created on farms with baling
machines) have been used, but recently higher-density "pre-
compressed" bales ("straw-blocks") are increasing the loads
that may be supported.
• Field bales might support around 900 kg per linear meter of
wall (600 lb./ lin. ft.), but the high density bales bear up to
6000 kg per linear meter of wall (4,000 lb./lin.ft.) and more.
• Compressed straw bales have a wide range of documented
R-value, reportedly ranging from 1.45-9.6 (in SI).
• Compressed and plastered straw bale walls are also
resistant to fire.
• Two significant problems related to straw-bale construction
are moisture and mold.
RAMMED EARTH
CONSTRUCTION
• Rammed earth is a technique for constructing foundations,
floors, and walls using natural raw materials such as earth,
chalk, lime, or gravel.
RAMMED EARTH
CONSTRUCTION
• Manufacturing rammed earth involves compressing a damp mixture
of earth that has suitable proportions of sand, gravel, clay, and/or
an added stabilizer into an externally supported frame or mold,
forming either a solid wall or individual blocks.
 RAMMED EARTH
CONSTRUCTION
• The construction of an entire wall begins with a temporary
frame, denominated the "formwork", which is usually made
of wood.
• Damp material is poured into the formwork to a depth of 10
to 25 cm (4 to 10 in) and then compacted to approximately
50% of its original height.
• The material is compressed iteratively, in batches or courses,
so as to gradually erect the wall up to the top of the
formwork.
• After a wall is complete, it is sufficiently strong to immediately
remove the formwork.
RAMMED EARTH
CONSTRUCTION
• The compressive strength of
rammed earth is a maximum of 4.3
MPa (620 psi).
• Rammed earth reinforced with
rebar, wood, or bamboo can prevent
collapse caused by earthquakes or
heavy storms.
• With a mechanical tamper and
prefabricated formwork it require
only two or three days to construct
the walls of a 200 to 220 m2 (2,200
to 2,400 sq ft) house.
 RAMMED EARTH
CONSTRUCTION
• The soils used are typically
subsoils low in clay, between 5%
and 15%.
• The thickness, typically 30 to 35
centimeters (12 to 14 in), and
density of rammed-earth walls
make them suitable for
soundproofing.
• They are also inherently
fireproof, resistant to termite
damage, and non-toxic.
EARTHBAG CONSTRUCTION
• Earthbag construction is an inexpensive method using mostly
local soil to create structures which are both strong and can
be quickly built.
EARTHBAG CONSTRUCTION
• Construction usually begins by digging a trench to
undisturbed mineral subsoil, which is partially filled with
stones and/or gravel to create a rubble trench foundation.
EARTHBAG CONSTRUCTION
• Several courses of gravel in doubled woven bags form a water-
resistant foundation. Each layer usually has two strands of barbed
wire on top, that attaches to the bag to prevents slippage and resists
any tendency for the outward expansion of walls.
 EARTHBAG CONSTRUCTION
• Bags on the course above are offset by 200 mm (8 in) half of the 450
mm (18 in) wall width, similar to running bond in masonry. Bags can
either be pre-filled with material and hoisted up, or bags or tubes are
filled in place.
 EARTHBAG CONSTRUCTION
• A light tamping of the bags or
tubes consolidates the moist
clay-containing fill and creates
interlocking bags or tubes
anchored on the barbed wire.
• To prevent damage to the bags
from UV rays or moisture a
covering coat is applied with
cement-based stucco, or lime or
earthen plaster.
KATH-KHUNI
ARCHITECTURE
KATH-KHUNI
ARCHITECTURE
• This indigenous technique primarily uses wood and stone,
together with rubble as an alternative to mortar.
• Walls of considerable thinner section than the normal stone
wall can be made using kath-khuni construction.
KATH-KHUNI
ARCHITECTURE
KATH-KHUNI
ARCHITECTURE
KATH-KHUNI
ARCHITECTURE
KATH-KHUNI
ARCHITECTURE
EXTERNAL LINKS
• For Trombe wall as a vernacular technique, refer to section 2.6 of the
article
http://www.insightcore.com/journal/exploring-passive-cooling-potential
s-indian-vernacular-architecture-gupta-2017.html
• For Rammed Earth wall durability evaluation against rain, refer to
section 5.3.3 of the article
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222057718_Durability_of_ra
mmed_earth_walls_exposed_for_20_years_to_natural_weathering

• Video on Rammed Earth construction technique

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc49lMbkvfE
• Video on Cob construction technique
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWuHQOvNRDw
• Video on Earthbag construction technique
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPz61MWn8xw