Cob: adobe and CEB

[Darel Henman]

Just some additions and possible details:

"Matthew HALL(SED)" wrote:
>..........   snipped.............
>
> Are you aware that an adobe house, using mechanical plant to manufacture the blocks, can with the
> help of about 12 men erect a single story house in about 2 days. 
>
Adobe bricks are traditionally sun dried bricks.  They work in dry
climates, but will not last as long in rainy weather.

The other alternative is compressed earth bricks (CEB), made out of a
clayish soil, which are stronger and last longer than adobe, I believe.

Even stronger is stabilized compressed earth brick (SCEB), which is CEB
which has been stabilized with some addition additive, such as lime,
cement, bitumen, or other pozzolanic material such as fly-ash or burned
rice husks.

> 
> Earth building can be made anywhere - there are some cob buildings in rainy england that are over
> 200 years old, and some that i know of personally in Australia that withstood the devastation of
> cyclone

These long lasting homes, probably had a large overhange to protect the
cob, and a nice foundation of stones above ground level to keep the cob
from wearing down in the rain.

One consideration is would the overhand that protects the wall, keep the
sunlight out for your particular latitude and suited to your climate.

Also the quality of clay in soil is local in nature and various
tremendously in qualtiy.

Darel