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Identification of Key Factors Governing Compressive Strength in Cement-Stabilized Rammed Earth: A Controlled
Piotr Narloch1, Łukasz Rosicki1
1Faculty of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Al. Armii Ludowej 16, 00-637 Warsaw, Poland.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 10, 2026
Summary
Eliminating soil powdering in cement-stabilized rammed earth (CSRE) construction improves lab efficiency and field practice consistency. Accurate moisture content is key for reliable compressive strength testing of earthen materials.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Civil Engineering
- Sustainable Construction
Background:
- Earthen construction materials offer sustainable building solutions.
- Cement-stabilized rammed earth (CSRE) requires optimized laboratory testing for reliable material characterization.
- Traditional soil preparation for CSRE testing involves labor-intensive powdering.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of soil preparation methods on CSRE compressive strength.
- To determine the influence of initial moisture content on CSRE properties.
- To optimize laboratory procedures for testing CSRE.
Main Methods:
- CSRE cube samples were prepared with 7-12% cement content.
- Samples were compacted using a manual rammer.
- Specimens were cured for up to 28 days and tested following adapted EN 12390-3 standards.
Main Results:
- Eliminating the soil powdering step enhanced laboratory efficiency.
- Excluding powdering yielded specimens more representative of field-compaction practices.
- Accurate initial moisture content determination was crucial for consistent results.
Conclusions:
- Labor-intensive soil powdering is unnecessary for CSRE laboratory testing.
- Optimized laboratory methods improve efficiency and consistency with field practices.
- Findings contribute to refining testing protocols for earthen construction materials.
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