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

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Rammed Earth Foundation Rammed Earth Foundation

• Rammed earth foundations are made of well • When in doubt about suitability of rammed
graded soil; preferably with a stabiliser for earth foundations, they should not be used.
water resistance and higher strength. • Stabilised soil blocks can be used instead, but
• The site must be well drained and great care is similar protective measures are necessary.
needed to protect the foundation from • Wherever possible, the earth foundation
ground moisture, especially with a plastic foil should be placed on a concrete footing.
or bitumen felt. • The foundation is made in formwork, in the
• Bitumen paint, or a facing of rubble stone or same way as the walls: layers of 10 cm soil are
burnt bricks are alternatives. tamped down to 6 - 7 cm, before the next
layer is filled up.

Rammed Earth Rammed Earth Foundation

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 Brick Foundation

Split Bamboo Piles Split Bamboo Piles

• Split-bamboo piles filled up with • These specially made split-bamboo
loosely wound coconut coir piles are used in stabilizing the soft
compressible subsoil of an actual
strands of about 6 mm diameter construction site which consists of a
each tied up with spirally wound top layer of about 2 m thick soft to
jute thread along its length and medium stiff sandy clayey silt
wrapped with a layer of thickly underlain by a layer of about 6 m
knit jute burlap have been thick very soft silty clay which is
again underlain by a layer of
successfully used. medium dense silty clayey sand.
• Treated split-bamboo steps were • The split-bamboo piles, each about 8
holed at random points and tied m long, 80 to 90 mm diameter, are
up together at regular intervals driven by a drop hammer at 2 m
with galvanized iron wire after spacing in a square grid. After
installation of the piles the entire
putting the coconut coir wicks area is covered with about 2 m
inside along its entire length. surcharge of sandy materials.

Under Reamed Pile Foundation Under Reamed Pile Foundation

• Such type of foundations is ideally suitable in the • This is a well proven and established
areas where the black cotton soil or expansive technology for construction of
soil is beyond 2.50 metres. foundation in expansive soils.
• The basic principle of under reamed pile is to • For speeding up the construction,
anchor the structure at a depth where ground bore and under ream for large
movement is negligible due to moisture variation diameter and deeper pile, a
or other reasons. mechanical rig can be used.
• Simple tools are required for construction of • The construction and design of such
under-reamed piles like spiral auger, under foundation can be done in
reaming tool, and boring guide. 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 • Rat-Trap Bond Brick
System Masonry
• Wattle & Daub • Ferrocement Wall
Construction System Construction System
• Straw Bale Construction • Interlocking Cement
System Stabilised Mud Block
• Rammed Earth Wall (ICSMB) Masonry
WALLS • Adobe Block Construcn. • Stone Concrete Block
Technology Masonry
• Compressed Stabilised • Combined Wire-cut and
Earth Blocks Technology 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