Speaker
Description
Earthen constructions are promising solutions from an environmental perspective, as they rely on locally available resources, require low transformation processes, and can contribute to CO₂ storage when combined with vegetal particles. However, their acoustic performance remains poorly documented, and further evidence is needed to support and promote the use of various building systems (e.g., light earth, wattle and daub, rammed earth, adobe, bricks, and coatings).The CarAc'Terre project aims to investigate acoustic properties across multiple scales, from material to building. At the material scale, a specific focus is placed on understanding the contribution of soil characteristics (particle size distribution, clay type and content, etc.) to acoustic behavior, in order to account for their effects at the wall and building scales.An experimental design was developed with the following input parameters: four different soil origins, three vegetal particle contents, three levels of water content (affecting binder consistency), and two modes of compaction. The resulting samples were characterized both mechanically (Young’s modulus and damping factor) and acoustically (impedance tube measurements at normal incidence, porosity, airflow resistance, etc.). Finally, modeling approaches are proposed under different assumptions (rigid frame, elastic, and poroelastic), and the influence of constituents and implementation methods is analyzed.