Novel materials series - Designing with rammed earth

The climate emergency is challenging engineers to consider a broader palette of non-traditional and/or novel structural materials. This webinar series looks at some of the alternatives, encouraging engineers to consider designing with these new materials and explaining how to deliver them successfully within projects.

This webinar focuses on rammed earth, and much of the content can be applied to other earthen construction load bearing materials. Our expert panel will:

• Cover the basics to enable you to design a rammed earth house

• Consider the criteria that make ground suitable or unsuitable for ramming

• Outline how to design rammed earth for vertical and lateral loads

• Discuss the main considerations, especially those that you may not think of if you are used to working with steel or concrete

Reasons to view:

• Hear about the different site investigation techniques required to check the suitability of site-won material

• Gain an understanding of how to design rammed earth for vertical and lateral loads

• Understand the typical details to ensure durability

About the series

This webinar is part 2 of a 6-part series on Novel materials and methods to achieve net zero. All webinars are recorded and available to purchase on-demand following the live broadcast:

1. How to get novel materials adopted on projects: R&D to construction - on-demand

2. Designing with rammed earth - on-demand

3. Designing with straw bale - on-demand

4. Low carbon concrete technology - on-demand

5. Key considerations for design and build of fibre reinforced polymer road bridges - on-demand

6. Timber concrete composites - on-demand

Speakers

Rosie Goldrick leads a team of international and multidisciplinary engineers in the design and implementation of innovative projects throughout East Africa. She has led structural design and construction supervision on projects including the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture. This involved seismic design and construction of 56 buildings using stone, earth and timber. She has contributed to the development of standards for the one of the most prevalent construction materials - adobe block. 

James Norman worked in industry on a wide variety of projects and has designed in a variety of materials including steel, concrete, timber, earth, straw and glass. In 2015 James moved full time into academia where he teaches structural design with a focus on low carbon solutions, and has been publishing in this area including Conceptual Design of Buildings (IStructE) and Designing Timber Structures (TRADA).

Pete Walker is Director of the BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials at the University of Bath. His research interests in natural building materials and technologies includes rammed earth, hemp-lime and straw bale construction.