Water absorption in earthen structures can frequently lead to irreversible damage. Moisture can penetrate these materials through driving rain, flooding, or capillary rise. Improving the durability of earthen materials is essential to encourage the use of earth-based construction techniques. Unlike conventional stabilizers such as cement or lime, biopolymers are derived from organic matter, have a lower carbon footprint, and can potentially be recycled. To assess their effectiveness, imbibition tests were carried out with increasing hydric solicitations to provide data on the absorption kinetics of bio-stabilized samples. Both non-stabilized and stabilized samples (with the addition of tannin, lignin sulphonate, and wool) were mechanically tested after undergoing capillary rise and their cohesiveness was assessed by immersion. The water absorption coefficient (A-value) was determined for all rammed earth (RE) samples, together with the maximum compressive stress measured through unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests. The results showed low A-values for lignin sulphonate stabilized RE samples. Tannin stabilization significantly improved cohesiveness when samples were immersed in water and resulted in a fourfold increase in compressive strength. This research highlights the potential of using tannin to stabilize earthen materials, particularly to improve their water resistance.
Machlein et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: