Engineers in Australia have developed a new building material with about one quarter of concrete\u2019s carbon footprint, while reducing waste going to landfill.<\/p>\n
This innovative material, called cardboard-confined rammed earth, is composed entirely of cardboard, water and soil \u2013 making it reusable and recyclable.<\/p>\n
In Australia alone, more than 2.2 million tons of cardboard and paper are sent to landfill each year. Meanwhile, cement and concrete production account for about 8% of annual global emissions.<\/p>\n
Cardboard has previously been used in temporary structures and disaster shelters, such as Shigeru Ban\u2019s iconic\u00a0Cardboard Cathedral<\/a>\u00a0in Christchurch, New Zealand.<\/p>\n Inspired by such designs, the RMIT University team has, for the first time, combined the durability of rammed earth with the versatility of cardboard.<\/p>\n Why it matters<\/p>\n Lead author Dr Jiaming Ma from RMIT said the development of cardboard-confined rammed earth marked a significant advancement toward a more sustainable construction industry.<\/p>\n \u201cModern rammed earth construction compacts soil with added cement for strength. Cement use is excessive given the natural thickness of rammed earth walls,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n But cardboard-confined rammed earth, developed at RMIT University, eliminates the need for cement and boasts one quarter of the carbon footprint at under one third of the cost, compared to concrete.<\/p>\n \u201cBy simply using cardboard, soil and water, we can make walls robust enough to support low-rise buildings,\u201d Ma said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis innovation could revolutionise building design and construction, using locally sourced materials that are easier to recycle.<\/p>\n \u201cIt also reflects the global revival of earth-based construction fuelled by net zero goals and interest in local sustainable materials.\u201d<\/p>\n Practical benefits<\/p>\n The cardboard-confined rammed earth can be made on the construction site by compacting the soil and water mixture inside the cardboard formwork, either manually or with machines.<\/p>\n Study corresponding author and leading expert in the field of structural optimisation, Emeritus Professor Yi Min \u2018Mike\u2019 Xie, said this advancement can spearhead a leaner, greener approach to construction.<\/p>\n \u201cInstead of hauling in tonnes of bricks, steel and concrete, builders would only need to bring lightweight cardboard, as nearly all material can be obtained on site,\u201d Xie said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis would significantly cut transport costs, simplify logistics and reduce upfront material demands.\u201d<\/p>\n Ma said cardboard-confined rammed earth could be an effective solution for construction in remote areas, such as regional Australia, where red soils \u2013 ideal for rammed earth construction \u2013 are plentiful.<\/p>\n \u201cRammed earth buildings are ideal in hot climates because their high thermal mass naturally regulates indoor temperatures and humidity, reducing the need for mechanical cooling and cutting carbon emissions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The mechanical strength of the novel material varies based on the thickness of the cardboard tubes.<\/p>\n Ma said the team has developed the formula for this strength design.<\/p>\n “We’ve created a way to figure out how the thickness of the cardboard affects the strength of the rammed earth, allowing us to measure strength based on cardboard thickness,\u201d Ma said.<\/p>\n In a separate study lead by Ma<\/a>, carbon fibre was combined with rammed earth, proving it had a comparable strength to high-performance concrete.<\/p>\n Ma and the team are ready to partner with various industries to further develop this new material so it can be used widely. Companies looking to partner with RMIT researchers can contact\u00a0research.partnerships@rmit.edu.au<\/a>.<\/p>\n