earth structure earth structure building structure largely soil soil widely available material construction prehistoric times combined materials compressed baked add strength soil economical material applications low environmental impact construction earth structure materials simple mud mud mixed straw dwellings built turf soil stabilized addition lime cement rammed earth construction faster pre formed compressed earth blocks fired clay bricks types earth structure include earth shelters dwelling wholly partly embedded ground soil native american earth examples houses use poles interwoven sticks provide stability mud walls houses built northwest coast europe later european settlers north american mud brick buildings built world include houses apartment buildings churches large fortified rammed earth buildings southeastern china shelter families types earth structure include religious purposes stabilized earth retaining walls forts trenches embankment dams soil soil created rock physically transported deposited precipitated soil particles include sand clay sand particles largest millimetres diameter clay smallest millimetres diameter sand rock particles including typically minerals sheet like structure small clay particles interact physically small proportion clay affects physical properties soil expected expand contract dried useful brick making expand contract considerably wet dry suitable building mix sand clay soils given different names depending relative proportions sand clay clay construction subject article referred construction uses clay bricks ancient building technology early mediterranean egypt yellow river valleys billion people lived houses built recent years interest construction revived developed world seen way minimize use fossil pollution particularly carbon dioxide manufacture create comfortable living environment high mass high absorption material main technologies stamped rammed earth clay called french typically sun dried bricks mud straw mixture materials earth usually requires sort processing use construction combined water mud straw added form material lime cement earth earth increase strength mud mud construction oldest approaches building walls moist mud formed hand base wall allowed dry mud added allowed dry form successive courses wall complete mud hand mud form filled mud allowed dry iran mud walls called construction course inches thick inches high typically technique garden walls house construction presumably concern strength walls way approach lot time spent waiting course dry technique areas wood plentiful build wood frame house mud primarily provide parts england similar technique referred natural building material soil includes clay sand small stones organic material straw walls usually built courses mortar joints need clay soil fill post beam buildings load bearing walls bear stories wall inches thick ratio width height typically inside mix lime soil sand thermal mass helps stabilize indoor temperatures tests shown resistance seismic activity building codes developed world recognize approved material turf cut bricks called spanish tough walls cut soil heavy mat grass roots found river lands stood edge dry construction european settlers found likely deteriorate freezing rain came dried turf extensively walls houses ireland scotland iceland turf houses found turf house years longer maintained cold climate find best quality turf centimetres grass turf stabilized earth clay usually hard strong dry soft water dry clay helps hold earth wall wall directly exposed rain water leaking roof saturated collapse earth stabilized weather resistant practice earth adding burnt lime centuries old portland cement added earth intended construction adds strength stabilized earth strong fired clay concrete cement lime lime sand content soil soils low clay content non expansive clay suitable stabilized earth clay percentage reduced adding sand available clay cement stabilize soil adds cost earth contains little clay holds cement effect concrete cement particularly environmentally friendly manufacturing process generates large amounts carbon dioxide low density stabilized earth weak earth machine makes blocks wall rammed earth technique rammed earth rammed earth technique building walls natural raw materials earth chalk lime gravel rammed earth wall built placing damp soil temporary form soil manually form removed rammed earth generally water need time dry building rises susceptible moisture laid course stops rising covered water need protection sort plaster paint china rammed earth walls built people period cities appeared region thick sloping walls rammed earth characteristic traditional buddhist monasteries common northern indian areas technique spread middle_east north_africa city built rammed earth technology brought europe romans rammed earth structures long lasting great wall china rammed earth rammed earth buildings seven stories high years old concrete romans concrete strong load bearing walls roman concrete contains rubble broken bricks rocks set mortar mortar included lime volcanic material contributed significantly strength roman concrete structures completed stand longevity explained fact builders relatively dry mix mortar aggregate pounding eliminate air pockets derived earth products concrete structures usually considered earth structures building units mud brick brick bricks masonry units sun dried mud invented different times different parts world civilization developed construction bricks avoids delays course mud wall murals production techniques highly advanced egypt construction common africa today bricks traditionally sand clay mixed water plastic consistency straw grass mud prepared placed wooden forms leveled turned mold dry days bricks stood end air cure month southwest united_states mexico buildings massive walls rarely stories high mission churches feet surfaces fragile protect periodically renewed included mud plaster lime plaster walls historically laying bricks mud mortar swells rate bricks dried heated cooled modern stabilized cement cement mortars cement mortars cause bricks deteriorate different rates thermal expansion compressed earth block compressed earth blocks traditionally stick ram soil wooden mold today usually compressed hand operated powered machine developing world manual machines cost effective solution making uniform building blocks complex expensive machines likely appropriate labor intensive construction avoids cost buying transporting materials block making machines form blocks shapes reduce requirement mortar block holes grooves rods bamboo inserted improve earthquake resistance suitable earth clay hold block resist erosion expansive clay block stabilized earth contains cement concrete given weeks cure time blocks stacked kept drying water problem hot dry climates water scarce closely blocks covering sheet help reduce water loss construction natural building technique evolved historic military construction techniques local composition mix soil compact stable structure packed woven sacks sacks better cheaper bags laid courses barbed wire course prevent slipping course laid structure similar rammed earth structure extremely strong dome shaped buildings retaining walls fired clay brick technique firing clay bricks dates fired bricks build masonry europe asia north_africa remain important building material modern fired clay bricks formed shaped fired hours temperature result mainly composed ingredients sand brick depends materials firing temperature duration bricks vary color depending iron calcium materials oxygen bricks decay brick pores frost action acidic gases bricks laid courses mortar combination portland cement lime sand wall bricks thick include bricks long narrow exposed bricks crossing bonds patterns including english dutch flemish bonds examples earth earth thousands years energy efficient dwellings configurations extreme earth sheltered dwelling completely underground open courtyard provide air light earth house set slope windows door openings sides building ground level earth walls earth roof pit houses farmers southwest usa structures partially embedded south facing slopes successful design hundreds years tunisia ancient homes built metres ground level surrounded metres square homes reached tunnels examples subterranean semi subterranean cliff based dwellings hot cold climates found turkey northern china southwest usa number buddhist monasteries built earth materials cliff sides caves areas northern india placed starting 1970s interest technique revived developed countries setting earth house ground house cooler warm season warmer cool season native american earth lodge earth lodge circular building native americans north_america wood post beam construction dome shaped typical structure central posts planted ground connected cross beams smoke hole left open center central structure larger ring shorter posts connected cross beams central cross beams outside cross beams split beams formed vertical walls structure covered sticks brush grass covered turn heavy layer earth groups structure mud dried form shell old building technique smaller sticks interwoven upright poles mud mixed straw grass wall technique found world japan bamboo houses built floor lowered feet ground variant technique called colombia prehistoric britain simple circular shelters built adequate clay available found panels timber framed buildings generally walls structural interior use technique developed world replaced plaster prairie house european pioneer farmers north_america wood construction home dug cave hill covering entrance time build house farmer use cut bricks feet form walls strips grass way rows resulting wall feet thick wall built door window frames corners wall secured rods driven vertically roof poles brush covered prairie grass sealed layer houses strong lasted years damp dirty interior walls roofs tended leak collapsed mud brick buildings examples mud brick building world walled city designated known story mud brick buildings built start 14th century 8th century round mud bricks stone mud rebuilt times steadily growing size south great mosque dramatic example architecture built based design earlier built site requires maintenance ruler let previous mosque collapse national monument arizona protected modern roof massive story structure built people european record great house jesuit priest father visited site time long abandoned time temporary roof installed building standing hundreds years northern peru large temple built people building went series construction phases growing eventually height metres main platforms smaller rooms walls covered striking multi colored murals visible today date type rural dwelling people mountainous areas southeastern china built 13th 20th centuries large enclosed fortified earth building rectangular circular thick load bearing rammed earth walls stories high house families smaller interior buildings enclosed huge peripheral walls contain halls wells living areas structure resembles small fortified city walls formed earth mixed stone bamboo wood readily available materials feet thick result lit earthquake proof building warm winter cool summer elevated temples constructed end 4th millennium 2nd millennium rising series temple feet ground level contained million bricks inches length construction huge project largest thought tower mentioned bible destroyed foundations remain originally stood feet high base feet square sun dried bricks interior fired bricks facing bricks held clay pre native american societies ancient north_america built large earth structures known platform largest best known structures site illinois completed base larger great pyramid underwent multiple episodes mound construction periodic intervals large believed played central role mound building peoples religious life documented uses include semi public chief house platforms public temple platforms platforms house platforms earth lodge town house platforms residence platforms square ground platforms dance platforms feet pyramid sun mexico started stone faced structure contains million tons rammed earth earthworks earthworks engineering works created moving processing quantities soil rock material moved location formed desired shape purpose dams types elongated natural ridge artificially constructed dirt fill wall water levels usually runs parallel course river low lying coastlines stabilized earth retaining walls walls combine concrete pad wall facing panels soil reinforcement select variety designs wall facing panels pad laid row panels placed layer earth brought wall set reinforcements laid earth reinforcements metal strips attached facing panels process repeated successive layers panels earth reinforcements panels tied earth embankment stable structure balanced stresses construction basic principles long history developed current form 1960s reinforcing elements vary include steel term usually usa distinguish reinforced earth trade generally accepted term construction relatively fast inexpensive labor intensive demand high levels skill suitable developing developed countries forts trenches earth construct fortifications thousands years including strongholds walls protected ditches aerial photography europe revealed traces earth fortifications roman era later medieval times huge stretches disputed border england wales little known period builder king died early timber earth fortification later succeeded brick stone structure site trenches besieging forces approach fortification protected missiles build trenches fortress attacked excavated dirt protective wall combined trench depth height feet tunnel dug feet surface highly skilled highly paid extreme danger work american civil war trenches defensive positions struggle played increasingly important role campaigns years military earthworks culminated vast network trenches built world war stretched switzerland north_sea end lines trenches faced manned soldiers living conditions cold damp conditions worst allied trenches germans willing accept trenches long term positions concrete blocks build secure shelters deep underground electrical lighting heating embankment dams embankment dam massive artificial water barrier typically created complex semi plastic mound compositions soil sand clay rock semi permanent natural covering surface dense core makes dam surface erosion force creates downward thrust mass dam greatly increasing weight dam foundation added force effectively seals makes underlying foundation dam interface dam stream bed dam composed fragmented independent material particles friction interaction particles particles stable mass use substance lake alberta canada embankment dam kilometres long metres high volume fill believed largest earth structure world
Earth structure