Technical Report on Mud wall Construction and repair

Technical specification
For molded clay Sand 50-60%, Clay 20-25%, Gravel
20%, and Straw 5kg/CuM and Water
20%
Increasing ductility and 1.5-3%
compressive strength : Straw
Increasing moisture resistance: 2%
Material
Asphalt
Increasing compressive strength 2%- 7 days compressive strength
of sandy clay and clay loam: Lime
.7Mpa
4%- 7 days compressive strength 1.4
Mpa
Plan area a. L:W= 3:2
b. General practice: L=20-30’,
Typical Building W=10-15’
configuration Floor height 1.6-2.5 m
Opening 30% of total wall area
Plinth raise 1ft from EGL
Plinth edge extension Min 3 ft from building footprint
Plinth slope Clayey soil: 1V:1.5H
Plinth Sandy soil: 1V:2H
Plinth protection 3 feet wide apron of burnt bricks
having 3 in slope outwards
DPC Heavy polythene
Foundation depth Soft soil: 4 ft
Hard soil: 2 ft
Foundation width Soft soil: 2X thickness of mud wall
Foundation
Hard soil: 1.5X thickness of mud wall
Foundation material Masonry: First class fired brick
Concrete (1:3:6)
width > 4ft, not more than 1/3 of the wall
length
Door and window Distance from corner 4ft
Distance between two opening 4ft
Lintel must be provided over the opening
Load bearing wall: Adobe wall Thickness:> 12”-13.5”
Unsupported length :14 ft
Unsupported height :8 ft
Wall Load bearing wall: moulded clay Unsupported height : 3m
(50-75% sand and silt, 20% Unsupported length : 4m
water, straw) Thickness :18” at the bottom 12” at
top
 Thin wall: Thickness: 0.15 and
0.40m thick at base, tapering to 0.05
- 0.20m thick at the top.
-The walls usually taper inwards.
-Constructed layer by layer
- Each layer height .4m
-Each layer is left to dry for a day/two
- Not suitable for straight but round
Thick wall:
Non load bearing wall: Wattle Thickness : 100mm-150 mm
and daub (seismic resistant)
Non load bearing wall: Double Thickness: 150 mm-200mm
layer framework with mud infill Frame: Horizontal and diagonal
bamboo stud are nailed at close
Intervals between vertical bamboo
post.
Spacing of vertical post: for 40mm
stud-.3mc/c
for 60-100mm stud-.8-.9 mc/c

To increase the load carrying capacity of the wall, bamboo bracing can
Bracing
be provided at the inner and outer side of the wall.
Roof Option-1 a. I section steel girder of 6”
web @ 6”c/c for 12’ span
b. I section steel girder of 8”
web @ 6”c/c for >15’ span
c. 4”X2” wooden batten @ 2’
c/c or 2” dia bamboo @ 1.5’
c/c over I section tied by by
GI wire with girder and
batten ends with roof band
by driving nail on bottom
side roof band.
d. Polythene sheet is placed
overlapping 12’’ minimum.
e. Earth layer of 6’’ thick is laid
over it, forming a slope of
12% towards spout and
small amount of water is
sprinkled to compact it to
4in and left for 2-3 days.
f. Mud is prepared by using
wheat husk and the roof
surface is plastered 1’’ thick.
g. 1.5 ft extended spout is
used or vertical drop of
cemented spout with 1:3 to
 drain rain water is provided.
For better rendering wire
mesh should nails in wall
and then plastered.
Option-2 a. CGI Sheets 26 SWG gauge
are placed at angle 25-35
degree having king post
trusses @5ft c/c and tie
beam , rafters 3’’x4’’, king
post 3’’x3’’, purlins of
2.5’’x2’’
b. Longitudinal slope (1:300)
should be provided in one
side to harvest rain water
and Projection up to 1.5 ft.
Option-3 a. Wooden/Bamboo having
ridge beam, 3’’ dia ridge
pole, 3’’ dia rafters @ 4 ft
may be used. 1.5 in dia-
purlin @ 1.5 ft spacing are
provided.

Causes of damages in Mud Wall: The major causes responsible for the destruction of mud
houses:
1. Undermining of foundations due to flood waters
2. Scouring/erosion at the base of the walls
3. Scouring/erosion at the corners of structures
4. wiping out of structures
5. Deposition of debris in houses
6. Damage due to debris flow.
7. Damage due to prolong submersion of buildings in water.
8. Dampness: When too much water enters a mud wall the clay particles which bind it together
are forced apart, and the mud is first reduced to a plastic then to a liquid state with
consequent structural failure. At a moisture content of 13 per cent of its dry weight the
strength of the material falls to a point where it can no longer resist the pressure exerted by
an average wall (c. 0.1N/mm2). At this level the wall may collapse. Damp is usually caused by-
- poor alterations,
- inadequate maintenance, or
 -a lack of ventilation.
9. Rising damp: Water coming through driving rain which damage earthen walls relentlessly;
flooding which affects the typical earthen plinth deteriorating the base of walls and capillary
rise of water into the walls which results in collapse of the entire building.
10. Penetration damp: Rain water penetrating the cracked surface is unable to evaporate and
will, over a period of time run down the wall and soak the foot of the wall. It is at this point that
the wall carries its maximum load - the weight of the wall plus that of the roof - and is therefore
most vulnerable.
 11. Inappropriate Construction/Lack of Technical-Know-How: Every component of the
building starting from the foundation is required to be executed well; effective drainage system
provided; suitability of the earth tested and the appropriate depth that is suitable for land
bearing on the ground attained.

Technique of structural improvement and repair:

1. Avoid the contact of moisture: Foundation and plinth : Unstabilized earth loses much of its
compressive strength when damp, and therefore a basic rule of building with earth is to protect
it from contact with moisture. This can be done by-
• Place the wall on top of a water-resistant footing (e.g. brick, and with possible use of a damp-
proof course)
• If no footing is used, damp-proof courses should not be used, as they prevent the drying of
the part of the wall below by isolating it from the wick effect of the wall above. This can lead
to the collapse of the wall as the moisture level increases.
• Improvements to land drainage
• Rapid removal of surface water from around the building when it rains.
• Protecting the walls from rain with a water proof covering (e.g. tarpaulin)
• Protect the walls from rain providing 1.5 -2 ft overhanging roof
• Protect the edge of raised platform by deep rooted edge plants, bushes or grass.
Alternatively, brick pitching may be provided.

Fig: Drainage option at footing level

 2. Impervious Coatings and Renders: Earth walls are traditionally finished externally with-
• lime or
• earth renders and
• internally with similar but finer earth or lime plasters.

Where repairs are required, a lime or earth render should always be used which matches the original as
closely as possible, and when dry, they should be painted with limewash which is not only the traditional
finish but also vapor permeable.

3. Avoid cement render and painting: Renders with a cement content of more than 10 per cent
should not be used as
• they are not vapour permeable, and inevitably trap moisture within the structure.
• Provide a cold surface on which condensation will form within the structure and,
• Cement expands when warmed while earth tends to shrink. As a result, differential
thermal movement causes cement renders to crack, allowing water to enter. This
moisture, combined with condensation on the back of the render, percolates to the base
of the wall where it accumulates, causing the earth wall to deteriorate.
• Painting the exterior of the building can have the same effect, as many modern paints
trap moisture in the wall.

4. Stabilization & Compaction: Earth used in building can be characterized as having moderate
strength in compression, but very little strength in tension or bending. Due to lack of tensile
strength, all compression forces must pass down within the thickness of the structure to the
ground. Both the lack of tensile strength and the moderate compressive strength of unstabilized
and uncompacted earth increases the thickness the load bearing wall. The compressive strength
of earth can be increased by compaction, and by stabilization with cement or lime, and by doing
so it is possible to reduce the thickness of mud wall.

5. Shrinkage prevention and repair: Shrinkage, which occurs in almost all soils that contain
clay, has been found to vary from around 1.5 to 3% (15 to 30 mm over a one metre length)
and occurs both horizontally and vertically. The faster a section of wall is built the greater
will be the vertical movement, or settlement, because successive lifts will increase the
weight bearing on those below.
To a certain extent this problem can be overcome by
• allowing sufficient time for each lift to dry out, but a certain amount of settlement is
bound to take place.
• The soils most subject to expansion and contraction are those which contain a large
proportion of fine clay. Shrinkage in such soils can be reduced to manage- able levels by
the simple expedient of adding sand or by blending with a sandy soil containing only
coarse clays.
• The use of lime may use a means of controlling shrinkage when carrying out minor
repair works. The addition of 5 to 10 % non-hydraulic lime to the mix can reduce
shrinkage by up to 50%; it will help the material to achieve a faster and greater
strength.
6. The repair of cracks and fissures:
• First let the cracked mud dry completely.
• Check if the cracked area is crumbling. If it is, remove as much loose material as you can by
sanding with fine-grit sandpaper and wiping away the dust with a dry cloth.
• Gently fill the clean, cracked area with a thin layer of drywall mud. Apply a further thin layer
of drywall mud pressing firmly with a wide putty knife. Use a taping knife to feather the edges
of this layer of compound outward from the patched area.
• The patched area should now be covered and smooth. Let it dry completely, accounting for
humidity, and then sand the area.
• Avoid patching too thick as it can cause bulges

7.
8. Repairs to cavities, hollows and badly eroded areas:
• Cut back the existing mud wall to accommodate the placing of new material.
• A flat level base is essential and the sides and tops of cavities should be squared off.
• An effective mechanical key between old and new material can be formed using tiny pegs,
galvanised slab nails or non-ferrous metal connectors.
• Corners, door and window reveals and the but- tresses found either side of threshing barn
doors are areas particularly prone to erosion and abrasion. In these cases mud blocks may
be the most appropriate method of repair.

9. Seismic Strengthening Provisions:

When building with earth in earthquake risk areas the following are precautions that should be taken-
• The building should be tied together horizontally, by the foundations, by a ring beam at the
top of the walls, and by intermediate horizontal rings such as at lintel level.
• Reinforcement can be of metal rods, or bamboo. Chicken wire laid between courses of
blockwork can also be used to provide horizontal continuity.
• Ring beams are particularly important when the building has a heavy roof
• The building should be tied together vertically, with posts or reinforcing bars placed within
the walls, particularly at all corners and wall junctions, and on both sides of openings.
• The horizontal and vertical framing or reinforcement should be tied together. Vertical and
horizontal framing can be built into the wall, or can be placed on both sides of the wall like a
sandwich.
• Openings should never be placed close to corners and wall junctions.
• The plan of the building should be simple and symmetrical, and by preference of rectangular
or circular form.
• Buildings of more than a single storey should be avoided.

In order to increase the horizontal load-resisting capacity of the walls,

• bamboo can be used as a bracing material at the inner and outer sides of the walls.
• A mesh of bamboo can reinforce the walls.
• Tying the vertical bamboo splints with the horizontal splints using wire would create a bamboo
mesh that would be tied to the collar beam.
• Jute mat cover with the help of bamboo slices can be used to resist the horizontal load

New Construction:
1.Combination wall: Wattle and daub: The
structure of the wall is provided by a
framework of vertical posts set into the
ground. Branches, reeds or bamboo,
(depending on what is available), are woven
horizontally between the posts to form a
lattice. Mud is applied to the framework on
both the inside and the outside, at a
sufficiently wet consistency for the mud to be
squeezed between the branches.

• Walls are usually thin, 100 -

150mm.
• soils with a higher clay content can
be used, because the framework
 largely negates the effect of shrinkage in the soil
• The wall is finished off with a plaster, usually mud-based, and when possible using a
sandier soil than used in the bulk of the wall. have lightweight roofs, usually thatch or
corrugated sheeting.

2.Double layered framework with mud infill: This is a system where mud is packed into the space
between two retaining faces of framework. A load-bearing structure is built with timber or bamboo
posts, and beams.

• Erected on a solid plinth of

stone or brickHorizontal and
diagonal slats of wood or
bamboo are nailed at close
intervals on either side of the
posts.
• The spacing of the vertical
posts depends upon the width
of the slats: 40mm wide
bamboo slats need posts at
about 0.3m centres, with gaps
between the slats of about 60
- 100mm, whilst more
substantial wooden slats (80 -
100mm) can have posts as far
apart as 0.8 - 0.9m.
• The interior of the framework
is then filled with mud, by
hand in lumps, or, on wider
walls, with a spade, and
packed down tightly so that
the mud pushes out between
the slats.
• The earth used should have at least enough clay to bind it and can be similar to that used for
wattle and daub. Straw, vegetable fibres or animal hair is sometimes added. It is not
uncommon to see stones and fired bricks included as well.

10. Load bearing wall (direct moulding): This is a wall building system where earth in a plastic
state is piled up, shaped and compacted by hand without the use of any confining framework. The
resulting earth wall is load-bearing and carries the weight of the roof. There are two basic versions
of this method of building with earth-
• Thin wall: Thin moulded walls Round buildings are constructed in a way similar to coil
pottery.
-The walls are built up in successive rings, 0.4 - 0.5m high, made up of individual rolls or lumps
of earth, pressed into place by hand, and then smoothed to the desired finish.
 -The base of the wall, either of stone or mud, is between 0.15 and 0.40m thick, tapering to
0.05 - 0.20m thick at the top.
-The walls usually taper inwards.
• Thick wall: Thick moulded are built up on a stone or fired brick foundation, rising 0.3 - 0.4m
above ground level.
-The corners have stone built up an additional 0.6m, which raises each successive layer of
mud at the corners as well, and in other areas it is common to see a similar, although less
accentuated, corner upstand.
-The top of the foundation should be no wider than the wall above it. The wall is often
tapered. In Iran, for example, a 3-metre high wall could be as much as 0.75m wide at the base
and only 0.3m at the top. With skill and care parallel walls can be built.
-Soil for this type of construction should contain about 20- 25% clay, the rest fine and coarse
sand and up to 20% gravel.
-Straw or chaff is normally added: about 5kgs per lm3 damp soil when the clay content is low,
lm3 and up to 15kgs per when the clay content is high.
-Water is added to achieve a stiff mouldable consistency.
-The water/soil/straw mixture is left to soak in a pit at least overnight, and preferably for up
to two days, which allows the fibre to soften and combine with the soil. Before use the soil
should be kneaded into a plastic mass (with feet, or by an animal walking in it.)
-A large hand-compacted lump of mud is then handed, or thrown, to the mason, who in turn
places it with force onto the wall, and pummels it into place so that there are no voids.
-A series of lumps make up the width and height of the layer. The sides are shaped by hand
to the desired degree of smoothness. Each layer is about 0.6m high.