The particular “rammed earth” of the Saadian sugar refinery of Chichaoua (XVIth century,Morocco): mineralogical,chemical and mechanical characteristics

This work focuses on the building material used in the Saadian sugar refinery of Chichaoua (about 70 km southwest of Marrakesh). The study involved a classification of different types of rammed earth, followed by their mineralogical characterization based on optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). These studies are complemented by chemical investigations, X-ray fluorescence, and thermal analysis (DTA and TGA). The results demonstrate the use of two types of earth for the realisation of rammed earth, the first one non-plastic, -grained with added lime, the other one of low plasticity, and fine grained without addition of lime. Mechanical tests on site and in laboratory how at the first type of material exhibits great strength, exceeding the values known for rammed earth.