Anti-friction system for compression testing of rammed earth samples with a slenderness ratio of 1

Abstract

The rammed earth construction method, a reversible natural resource, is an ancient technique that has enabled many buildings to survive for centuries. Although this technique is attracting much interest from scientists, the number of laboratory tests that characterize its mechanical performance currently remains limited. This article presents an anti-friction device, which allows unconfined compression tests on samples with a small slenderness ratio, and then allows to gain a considerable amount of time in the production of samples and therefore in the characterization of earthen material. The results obtained from the compression tests conclude positively of the use of a simple, reproducible laboratory protocol for determining the compressive strength of a rammed earth sample.