One of the main threats to constructions made from rammed earth is destruction due to exposure to water. The way to limit this dangerous phenomenon is to supplement the local soil mixtures with stabilizing agents. The main component used is Portland cement. This article analyses the results of research which focused on the resistance of rammed earth to water erosion. Because of the lack of national standards regarding the method of examining the durability of rammed earth, the research was based on the New Zealand standard NZS 4298: 1998. The results confirm the possibility of using rammed earth stabilized by cement in a temperate climate.

Rammed earth significantly reduces intrinsic energy compared to concrete construction and has an environmental benefit throughout the life cycle of the building: phases of construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. Several studies have recently been carried out to study this material. However, the seismic behavior of rammed earth constructions is still an important topic that needs to be studied in more detail. Through the analysis of non-linear behavior of the rammed earth construction for different wall thicknesses according to the Moroccan earthquake regulation RPS2011, we were able to assess the seismic performance under the corresponding conditions (loads, seismic zone). The results show that the walls studied can have good resistance in areas of seismicity ranging from “very low” to “moderate” and acceptable performance in areas of high seismicity. Furthermore, fragility analysis shows that rammed construction with a wall thickness equal to 50 centimeters exhibits better seismic performance and a low probability of damage, particularly in the case of moderate, severe, and complete damage states.

This paper presents a critical review of the literature on selected earth-based construction technologies published between January 2020 and July 2022 and indexed in Scopus. Publications on rammed earth, mudbricks and earth sheltering were reviewed and key research areas were identified, including, but not limited to the performance of unstabilized and stabilized earth partitions, the application of various stabilization materials, including waste, plant fibre and cement, characteristics of heritage earth structures, seismic vulnerability, life cycle analysis (LSA), and hygrothermal properties. It was concluded that a greater overlap between these areas could enhance the state of the art on earth-based technologies. Very little interest in earth shelters was observed, as the literature focused primarily on rammed earth and mudbrick.

Currently, a worldwide dynamic rise of interest in using soil as a construction material can be observed. This trend is evident in the rapid rise of the amount of standards that deal with soil techniques. In 2012 the number of standards was larger by one third than five years prior. To create a full standardization of the rammed earth technique it is necessary to take into account the diversity of used soil and stabilizing additives. The proportion of the components, the process of element production and the research methods must also be made uniform. The article describes the results of research on the compressive strength of rammed earth samples that differed from each other with regards to the type of loam used for the mixture and the amount of the stabilizer. The stabilizer used was Portland cement CEM I 42.5R. The research and the analysis of the results were based on foreign publications, the New Zealand standard NZS 4298:1998, the American Standard NMAC14.7.4 and archival Polish Standards from the 1960’s that dealt with earth material.