APPLICATION OF EARTH AND STRAW MIXTURES IN MODERN BUILDING

Abstract

Building with earth is widespread and still mostly based on traditional experiences. Increasing demands
in energy consumption reduction during the construction and exploitation of buildings put more and
more in the focus the good features of houses built with earth.Testing of earth mixtures with other
natural materials showed that it can get even a quality of bricks, which indicates the lack of appropriate
standards for this type of construction.
Testing are performed with mixes of earth and straw intended forrammed earth and adobe construction.
This method of preparation and construction applies in alternate construction with straw bales and it is
also used in the construction of prefabricated panels with wooden frame filled with a mixture earth and
straw where it is possible to build prefabricated structures or as a filling of wall screens in skeletal
structural system of larger dimensions and number of floors.
Laboratory tests have shown that the mechanical and thermal properties of this material fulfilled the
high demands for the construction of modern buildings. Based on the presented results it can proceed
the development and testing of structural elements for that kind of building.
Also, based on results, in the article the authors presented possibilities of architectural design of
various building possibilities of objects, as practical examples of prefabrication applied in some
countries.