Compressed stabilized earth blocks (CSEB) is all about the soil of our earth
The earth needs to be tendered for and mixed well
CSEB is a feeling for earth
As CSEB uses only 4-5% cement it is essential to get the right soil and sand mix
The mix needs to be just right, and it depends on the specific soil type that is being used
Different soils need a different mix
The AURAM machine is one of the best CSEB machines in the world
Satpreem Maini, the renown architect from Auroville Earth Institute, makes sure the machine is ready
Satpreem demonstrates the use of the machine
In with the mix
Then it is time to start
Ready to compress
Handpower is needed
The machine produces blocks with 15 tons force (read more here: www.earth-auroville.com)
Manual compression means some force is needed
Testing the compression
Then the block needs to be removed from the machine
There is a technique for this too
Otherwise the rather heavy block might be damaged while being removed - as happened here!
Satprem shows how to handle the compressed block
and how to carrying it
to the curing station
Curing takes place over a period of 2-3 months
Three test blocks made of different soil and sand mix
Another brick to be made
Ready?
Go!
and again
Satprem and Lal Shrestha supervising the brick manufacturing
A second level of supervision
Making the soil ready
Soil silting is the first step of preparing the soil for CSEB
It is hard work here because the soil available for this training is clayish, making it lumpy
All the lumps need to be pulverized
If it were a larger brick production, another way needs to be found to pulverize the soil
The training venue for the CSEB practicals
A local CSEB machine
It uses the same CSEB principles but the compression level is lower than the level produced by the AURAM machine
But it makes bricks
Here is an experiment where a brick is made with "one-side cement"
After compression
The final product
This is just one brick product out of many these CSEB machines can produce
Could this be the block/brick for the future in Nepal?
Is this the machine of the future in Nepal?
Will private people and commercial companies see any benefits from this machine?
No matter what machine - CSEB is all about earth
After use, the machine needs a light cleaning
Sonam and Nirmala, two of the organisers of this 9-day training event. For more information on CSEB use in Nepal: www.ms.dk/greenschools
IOE campus building detail
