The project aims to analyze vernacular buildings in rural Romanian villages with earthen structural walls. The research focuses on architectural characteristics, construction techniques, and the structural and thermal performance of the building materials used. Additionally, the research considers the buildings’ qualities in terms of thermal comfort.
We are currently implementing the first stage of the project:
Rammed earth architecture. Construction techniques and building characteristics
The project aims to analyze vernacular buildings in villages in the south of the Romania, constructed with structural walls made of rammed earth. The research focuses on architectural characteristics and construction techniques, the characteristics of the building materials used and the performance of the materials used (from a structural point of view), as well as the qualities of the buildings in terms of thermal comfort.
In this project, we focused on a particular type of architecture in which earth is the only material used to build the walls. This technique involves building structural and sometimes partition walls entirely from earth that is compacted in wooden formwork, similar to the construction of concrete walls.
The earth used for these constructions is clayey. After removing the boards used to shape the walls, a monolith of compacted earth with high resistance is obtained. The walls are built continuously without accounting for door and window openings. These openings are cut later from the completed wall. The other components of the building are similar to those of other rural constructions. The walls are finished similarly to those made of wattle and daub, adobe, or brick. To mimic the appearance of brick buildings, urban dwellings influenced by provincial town architecture often have a main façade entrance made entirely or partially of fired brick, with a finish and decoration that imitates the wall’s architecture. This makes rammed earth houses difficult to identify.
Research directions
In terms of architecture, our goal is to document buildings through inventories, photographic documentation, and surveys of buildings and construction techniques. We will use bibliographic and field documentation, as well as analyses of buildings and testimonies from community members, to determine the age and degree of conservation of the buildings, the specific damage and deterioration they have suffered as a result of major events, and the methods used to maintain and repair problems that have arisen in the buildings over time. Additionally, we aim to identify areas where rammed earth architecture and various construction techniques are prevalent.
The structural component examines the characteristics of construction materials by taking samples from abandoned buildings, which are then subjected to laboratory tests. These tests determine the level of compaction (hardness), plasticity limits, the composition of the clay soils used, and the presence of organic matter. Additionally, we investigated the microstructural characteristics of the building materials (walls and plaster) using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX).
From a living comfort standpoint, we monitored a number of buildings over a period of at least one year to identify variations in indoor temperature and humidity. This was done in the most frequently used rooms (living rooms and kitchens), as well as in unheated rooms and outdoors. We collected similar data in a reinforced concrete apartment building with polystyrene insulation and in a brick house without additional insulation. These buildings provided relevant data for the study, as well as comparative values that can serve as benchmarks for comparing values obtained during the same period. Field documentation is supplemented by thermal imaging camera investigations to determine areas with temperature differences (heat loss or moisture presence).
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The project was initiated by Positif Concept, an architectural design office established in 2008. In 2012, we launched Ozalid Publishing House, which specializes in architecture and related fields. We carry out design activities in parallel with publishing. In addition to our own projects, we collaborate with Romanian and international companies on architectural, restoration, urban planning, and interior design projects. We also carry out cultural projects in architecture in partnership with non-governmental associations, companies, and institutional entities.
To carry out the project, we have partnered with several institutions, including universities, research centers, and companies with extensive professional experience. The academic staff and specialists from these institutions will contribute significantly to the investigation and interpretation of the analysis results.
The Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest (UTCB) provides laboratory analyses in structural, geotechnical, and geological fields, as well as interpretation of the results. Additionally, academic staff from the UTCB Faculty of Installations interpret information related to thermal comfort.
Researchers and university professors from the National Center for Micro and Nanomaterials (CNMN) at the National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest have joined the project. They perform laboratory analyses to determine the chemical composition and microstructure of soil samples. The structural design office Popp & Asociații and the construction materials testing laboratory Ultratest are contributing to the sampling process by coring and conducting in situ investigations. They also perform specialized laboratory analyses on cores taken from rammed earth constructions and determine the degree of compaction and shear parameters.
The first stage of the project, which took place between 2023 and 2025, received financial support from the Romanian Order of Architects (OAR) through the co-financing of the architecture stamp. This covered most of the expenses for field research and some of the expenses for laboratory analyses.
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In the first stage of the project, our focus was on collecting as much information, data, and material as possible in the field, as well as conducting laboratory analyses. Given the multitude of data and the interdisciplinary nature of the project, interpreting and correlating the results is a process that requires a considerable amount of time. This process is ongoing, so the results of the interdisciplinary studies will be published in subsequent stages.