RILEM WEBINAR: Earth as a construction material : progress on the understanding of its behavior and remaining challenges.

We are pleased to announce that the next ROC&TOK webinar will take place on October 5th, 2023 at 3PM CEST/Paris Time and will be one hour long (30-minute presentation + 30-minute interaction). The registration for this webinar is free.

Speaker: Prof. Antonin Fabbri, ENTPE, France

Hosts:  Dr Prannoy Suraneni, University of Miami, United States and Prof. Karen Scrivener, EPFL, Switzerland

Title: Earth as a construction material : progress on the understanding of its behavior and remaining challenges. 

"Raw earth" is one of the oldest building materials used by man. Earth buildings account for no less than a third of occupied housing worldwide, but the advent of the industrial era has seen the emergence of new materials that have gradually replaced the so-called primary materials (earth, stone, etc.). Today, the vital goals of stabilizing atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations and reducing our energy consumption is prompting construction industry to think about more frugal, low-carbon building solutions. Thus, given their strong environmental and architectural advantages, earthen constructions are experiencing a renewed interest.

Indeed, earth can be taken and used immediately on the construction site or nearby and does not require industrial processing. What’s more, its ability to withstand the test of time is illustrated by the large heritage of earthen buildings around the world, as well as by iconic constructions (city of Shimbam, in Yemen, Great Mosque of Djenné, Mali…). Yet, the widespread adoption of earthen materials in mainstream construction remains limited, largely due to a lack of understanding regarding their behavior. One distinctive characteristic of earth as a building material is the influence of water on its mechanical, thermal properties, and durability. This influence stems from the clayey matrix, which plays the role of the binder between earth components, whose behavior undergoes significant changes with varying water content.

In this ROC&TOK RILEM webinar, we will delve into the primary physical processes governing the interactions between water molecules and earth-based materials. Methods to quantify these interactions and examine their impact on mechanical performance and durability will be explored within the framework of unsaturated poromechanics. This analysis will eventually prompt essential questions regarding the appropriate assessment of material performances, both in laboratory and on-site, in the line of the activities of RILEM TC MAE.

Register here for FREE!