This bachelor’s thesis goal was to further develop the fabrication method Selective Robotic Rammed Earth (SRRE) and to translate it into a distinct design language. SRRE is a process in which a robot selectively formworks and compacts specific areas within a particle bed of earth. These individually rammed zones combine to a form a coherent building component, which can be extracted from the surrounding loose material after the compaction process.
By refining the ramming process and strategically utilizing the robot’s degrees of freedom, new strategies for fabricating freeform eartern components were developed. The resulting geometric freedom allows the design to respond more directly tot he material properties of earth: Components can better follow force flows and be realized with variable cross sections. Furthermore, the process enables a high degree of controll over surface articulation.
These properties were explored through the implementation of a small-scale demonstrator. It was shown that inclined elements, openings, variations in cross-section and detailed surface textures can be achieved using the SRRE process.
