YOU CAN BUILD WITH SOIL-CEMENT BLOCKS

(Page 5 of 5)

May/June 1976
By the Mother Earth News editors 
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Beyond that, you're on your own. Just [1] buy a CINVA Ram, [2] enlist the aid of a few friends, and [3] have at it.

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So what if you do live in a part of the country where the winters are frigid and damp? Cold weather or not, pressed earth works beautifully. Believe me. I know.

HOW TO TEST SOIL-CEMENT FOR STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY

Before you begin to think about building a house, barn, or other habitable structure out of pressed-earth blocks, you should make sure that the soil-cement mixture you're using is the best one possible. How? Start by creating bricks from four trial mixes: one containing the maximum amount of cement, one with the minimum amount, and two with intermediate concentrations of the binder. 'Let the blocks cure for 15 days, then test them in each of the following capacities:

TENSILE STRENGTH: Lay a block across two supports spaced 20 centimeters (eight inches) apart, and place weights one by one atop the brick's center until it breaks. The mix producing the strongest block is best.

HARDNESS: A nail driven with your bare hand should penetrate no deeper than five centimeters (about two inches) into the block.

SOUND: When struck lightly with a hammer, the brick should produce a metallic sound.

UNIT WEIGHT: That mix which produces the block having the greatest weight?and therefore the least pore space—should be considered best.

SHRINKAGE: There shouldn't be any. Measurable contraction after curing means that the mix either contained too much clay, or too little cement. Or. both.

For other structural testing techniques, see the Handbook for Building Homes of Earth (mentioned in article), or talk to your local building inspector . . . which is something you'll have to do sooner or later anyway.

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  • Sean 1/23/2009 4:44:04 AM

    Regarding the soil blocks, there is a hydraulic machine available that produces up to 3000 soil blocks in a day!
    The blocks are interlocking, therefore require no cement for the construction.
    The blocks have a lovely finish.
    The machines are from a South African company called Hydraform. Have a look.

    Cheers

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