With its significant contribution, accounting for approximately 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the construction sector bears substantial responsibility. Urgent action is imperative to decelerate the trajectory of climate change. However, the adoption of novel building materials necessitates the development or establishment of new infrastructure, thereby impeding the pace of initiating enduring transformations. One prospective approach involves optimizing the eco-friendly building material, clay, to align with pre-existing infrastructure. By manipulating clay into a pourable form, its inherent beneficial properties (recyclability, eco-balance, etc.) are preserved while altering its consistency to enable liquefaction and pouring. This innovation offers a dual advantage: expediting clay product manufacturing and leveraging the current infrastructure. Existing formwork, transportation mechanisms, and backfilling methodologies in concrete construction can readily accommodate the processing of this liquid clay. Furthermore, the requisite expertise for handling such material is already prevalent. Prior research endeavors have underscored the potential of liquefied clay, warranting further comprehensive investigations into its application. Throughout several test series, diverse additives/plasticizers underwent assessment and ecological evaluation. The incorporation of fly ash (1.55 m-% and 1.66 m-%), potassium carbonate (0.50 m-%), and silicate dust (5.00 m-%) failed to achieve the intended liquefaction of the clay. Conversely, the introduction of sugar cane molasses (3.63 m-%) and vinegar essence (2.59 m-%), particularly in conjunction with metakaolin (3.70 m-%) and iron oxide (2.00 m-%), resulted in pronounced liquefaction. However, the drying phase posed a significant challenge. When organic elements were added, test samples showed a tendency to develop mold. The investigation of preventing mold growth using this promising approach is presently underway.
Larissa Daube is a Research Associate at the Chair of Structural Design and Solid Construction II, Bauhaus-University Weimar, specializing in Earthen Construction and Sustainability. She completed her Master of Science in Architecture with a concentration in archineering in Oct. 2019 with excellent results. Since Apr. 2020, she has been working on her Ph.D. in the field of solid clay construction. From Jan. 2021 to Mar. 2023, Daube served as a Project Coordinator for a research initiative funded by ZukunftBau, focusing on ‘Clay Panel Construction: Prefabricated Load-Bearing Rammed Earth Walls’