Research on Optimization of the Thermal Performance of Composite Rammed Earth Construction

Shenwei Yu, Shimeng Hao, Jun Mu, Dongwei Tian and Mosha Zhao
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Shenwei Yu: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 100044, China
Shimeng Hao: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 100044, China
Jun Mu: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 100044, China
Dongwei Tian: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 100044, China
Mosha Zhao: Institute for Acoustics and Building Physics, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 7, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-23

Abstract: Rammed earth (RE) is a low-tech recyclable building material with good heat storage and moisture absorption performance that can better maintain the stability of the indoor thermal environment and improve indoor comfort. With innovations in and the development of new technology, the field of rammed earth construction technology is gradually expanding. However, deficiencies in the thermal insulation of traditional rammed earth structures make it impossible for them to meet China’s building energy codes in cold regions. This study constructs a comprehensive evaluation index of the thermal performance of rammed earth walls that is based on the heat transfer mechanism, optimizing the thickness of the boundary conditions of the building interior’s design temperature, as well as the energy demand and economic efficiency. This research also offers a new design for the thermal insulation of rammed earth construction by combining the building energy savings design code with WUFI Pro software. This study demonstrates that the optimum thickness of rammed earth construction in Beijing is about 360 mm, the thickness of extruded polystyrene board (XPS) is 50 mm (for public buildings) and 70 mm (for residential buildings), and the structural form of external insulation offers the highest performance benefit. In addition, this work also evaluates the risk of condensation inside composite rammed earth construction, finding that there is a risk of condensation on the exterior side of the wall and at the interface between the insulation panels and rammed earth wall, thus requiring an additional moisture-proof layer. In this study, thermal mass and insulation are fully considered and a design strategy for rammed earth construction given quantitatively, providing a theoretical basis for the application of rammed earth materials in cold regions.

Keywords: rammed earth construction; thermal insulation; thermal mass; comprehensive evaluation index; optimization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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