Project Team
Development of a new construction method and material involves various difficulties. In developing a structure using soil, we formed a project team with University of Tokyo, Waseda University for researches, corporations for providing materials and technical support, and the architects for design and structural calculations.
This endeavor was made possible through the collaboration of various knowledgeable and experienced experts from both the private sector and the academic field.
Experiments
The “Earth Project” started in 2008, it was developed together with Universities, private enterprises and specialist gathering available information on construction from the “Earth Bricks” around the world. Besides it, we made translation and publication of the book “Building with Earth” by Gernot Minke, who has done significant research on earth architecture in Germany.
Various experiments were made on verification of natural additive mixed with the soil in order to fulfill existing structural regulations with minimal impact on environment. There were materials mix ratio examinations and compressive strength tests conducted under instruction of Professor Naoyuki Koshiishi in his material research laboratory in Waseda University. Also shear experiment of “Earth Brick” construction methods and full size wall mock-up built under the guidance of Professor Shuichi Matsumura in the University of Tokyo. Various questions, such as structure requirements, a form of bricks and molds, and masonry joints treatment were able to be cleared during these tests.
Magnesium oxide
The conclusion at which our project team arrived through research investigations, various experiments and verification was to use “magnesium oxide” as natural hardening medium. The “magnesium oxide” obtained by boiling sea water is a material of the natural origin which is not exhausted from the earth, as long as there is the sea.
“Soil” which can be found anywhere on the land, and “magnesium oxide” collected from a vast ocean are mixed together to realize a firm soil structure “earth bricks” that was not possible from the sun-dried bricks.
This earth bricks are 100% recyclable material of natural origin, can be biodegrade so that building return to soil without harm to environment.