- Author
- Clifton, J. R.
- Title
- Abode Building Materials: Properties, Problems and Preservation.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC
- Journal
- Technology and Conservation, 30-37, Spring 1997
- Keywords
- building materials | climate | bricks
- Abstract
- Earth, air, and water - three of the four elements of the ancient world - have been combined for several millennia to form a versatile builiiing material. This product, sun-dried earth bricks, or adobe, was easy to make and use in preindustrialized societies. No great technical skill or equipment was necessary. Fabrication required only mixing soil and water, shaping the mixture into forms, and exposing them to the atmosphere to set them. Once hardened, the bricks were ready to use. Buildings constructed from adobe in dry climates were relatively permanent. There are structures erected thousands of years ago that still exist. But, even if the bricks were used in less arid areas and subject to deterioration by water damage, or if the workmanship was poor and the building had structural problems, adobe was inexpensive and any repairs could be made without much bother. Preservation of the original characteristics of the adobe or of the design or structure of the building often was'not of any importance. In more recent times, however, emphasis increasingly has been placed on maintaining the integrity of historic adobe buildings and thereby conserving important architectural artifacts. What the properties of the various adobe materials are, how these properties relate to a building's ability to withstand water and wind erosion, what stabilization methods can be employed, and similar questions are being studied to find practical methods for preserving or restoring adobe-constructed buildings.