DRYING CHARACTERISTIC OF RAMMED EARTH WITH ILLITIC-KAOLINITIC CLAY CONTENT

Abstract

Clay is a traditional construction material which has got to background with introduction of modern materials to building practice. There is no proper material available for clay constructions design due to lack of proper examination of its mechanical properties. This paper focuses on drying rate of rammed earth. Drying is a primary way in which clay gets its strength. It is thus essential to know a duration needed to a construction to get dry. After pass of this time the maximum strength is attained and it is possible to load a construction. Properties of unburned clay are dependent on clay mix composition. In this contribution two sets of testing bodies with different composition are presented. As a bonding agent an illitic-kaolinite clay was used. It was presupposed that amount of used clay in clay mixture has major influence on the speed of drying and a final equilibrium moisture content. This presumption was disproved.