ADAPTATION OF EARTH CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES TO LOCAL SPECIFICITY. CHARACTERISTICS OF EARTH USED FOR UNFIRED BRICKS WITH ADDED NATURAL FIBERS IN THE HIGH PLAIN AREA OF BANAT, ROMANIA

ABSTRACT

The article highlights the way of adapting the constructive techniques in the Banat high plain (South-West of Romania) during the colonization of the territory from the 18th century by the Habsburg Empire. Due to the lack of other natural resources, earth was the preferred building material for realizing the new settlers housing. The study pursues the analysis of physical properties (granulometric curve, characteristic humidity, plasticity limit, compression strength ) of local earth mixed with natural fibers used for unfired bricks - adobe. This technique was used for earth constructions and laboratory tests presented in this paper confirm the experience gained by local building practice along time ( 18th – 19th centuries). On this poorly inhabited area, due to the retirement of the Turkish population after 1716, the Habsburg administration adapted the newly designed villages to the environmental conditions, not only from an urbanistic point of view but also through the good use of local resources and materials, thus creating a sustainable response that determined the local specificity in the rural areas of the Banat high plain.

Keywords: adobe, local materials, sustainability.