POURED EARTH CONCRETE (PEC):

The earth-building industry witnessed an initial revolution about 20 years ago when
Architect and Builder, Michael Frerking, entered “POURED EARTH” (PE) into the lexicon of earthen
technologies.

Poured earth is similar to ordinary concrete, in that it is mixed and formed like concrete and uses
Portland cement as a binder. The main difference is that instead of the sand/gravel used as an aggregate
in concrete, poured earth uses ordinary soil (although this soil needs to meet certain specifications) and
generally uses less Portland cement.

Poured earth uses soil with stone aggregates, stabilizers, as well as some natural or
chemical additives that can modify their characteristics of mechanical resistance.

Poured earth could be considered a "moderate strength concrete." Little to no maintenance is

required of poured earth walls, since they have a high resistance to the deteriorating effects of water and
sun.

PEC is presently underutilized, and has great potential for poured foundations, walls, slabs
and beams, and roads.

The research conducted at AVEI has centered around deriving PEC mixes that achieve
desired flow characteristics, while maintaining dry and wet strength, low water absorption, and low
shrinkage.

Deriving mixes appropriate to local soils, the necessary testing and finalization of formulations, with
additions of plasticizers, and waterproofing agents, have been explored.

Unlike concrete, the Poured Earth mixture designed by Living Systems replaces most of the
Portland cement that is typically used in concrete with more earth-friendly binders (like fly-ash, a waste-
stream product). The result is a sizable reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide produced.

The soil used in these structures needs to meet certain specifications, which require testing to
discern. If you are planning to build using this type for building and your soil does not meet the
specifications – say it’s too high in clay – then soil amendments, such as lime or magnesium oxide can
be added to bring your soil up to specification.

SOIL IDENTIFICATION:
Identifying the quality of a soil is essential. Not every soil is suitable for earth construction. But with
some knowledge and experience most soils can be used. Top soil and organic soils must not be used.
They should be removed and kept for agriculture.

Ideal soil is basically low in clay (something ranging between silt to 3/8 inch aggregate). Poured
earth materials need to meet certifiable engineering standards; appropriate testing needs to be done to
assure a quality product. Testing should be done to determine shrinkage and compressive strength in
order to make sure that the mix has very little, to no, shrinkage and has a compressive strength of 800-
1200 psi. On-site soil can be amended (to change something slightly in order to make it better) with off-site
materials so that they meet appropriate strength and durability standards. When natural or synthetic fly
ash and lime is added to the poured earth mixture, the amount of Portland cement required can be
reduced by up to 50%.

Auroville Earth Institute practices only field tests, called sensitive analyses, to identify a soil’s quality. These
simple sensitive analyses can be performed after a short training. They follow the four fundamental
properties of the earth and they can be practiced by anybody, as we use our senses.

i.e. sandy clay. Then, according to this classification, one must look into the recommendations for
stabilization and soil improvement.

Note that the soil identification should be practiced twice: first on the raw soil, before doing any
modification, and also after correcting the soil.

Advantages of Poured Earth Buildings:

• These buildings are extremely durable, comparable to concrete.
• The thick walls of these structures create a peaceful interior.
• This type of building is free of chemically-treated wood, synthetic insulation, formaldehyde, and
other toxic building materials.
• The durable nature of this building material means that it is highly resistant to the wear and tear
that occur in typical homes. It is very low-maintenance.
• Heating and cooling are aided by the radioactive effects of the earthen walls, which have
“inherent thermal mass.” They absorb heat and release it gradually, making the internal
temperature inexpensive to maintain and far more constant.
• Fast construction is another advantage of poured earth buildings.