Current State of Modern Rammed Construction: A Case Study of First Peoples House After 7 Years Exposure

Abstract

This paper presents a study on the current condition of the First Peoples House, located at the University of Victoria in British Columbia. The building houses two rammed earth walls that exemplify the use of stabilized rammed earth as a modern construction material. These rammed earth walls have been exposed to 7 years of natural weathering in a wet climate. A rebound hammer, infrared camera, and a new method developed to quantify surface deterioration were used in Non-Destructive Testing (NDT). The results provided insight into the compressive strength, thermal envelope and surface condition of the walls. Relationships between wind direction and wind speed are presented. It is postulated that the wall that is most exposed to a combination of both effects will exhibit the largest forms of deterioration. This hypothesis was addressed using results from NDT and local wind data.