RMIT team invents cardboard and soil-based building material

An RMIT University team has developed a new building material made of just cardboard, water and soil, which they say is reusable and recyclable and combines “the durability of rammed earth with the versatility of cardboard”.

According to a statement from RMIT on Monday, the team was inspired by temporary and disaster shelters, such as the Cardboard Cathedral at Christchurch, and have developed a solution that addresses environmental impacts attached to conventional materials.

It notes that over 2.2 million tons of cardboard and paper go to landfill each year, and the cement and concrete industry produces about 8 per cent of annual global emissions.

Dr Jiaming Ma (pictured) from RMIT, lead author on the research, said “Modern rammed earth construction compacts soil with added cement for strength. Cement use is excessive given the natural thickness of rammed earth walls.”

The team’s solution, described in a paper in the journal Structures (linked) removes the need for cement and comes with one quarter of the carbon footprint and less than one third of the cost versus concrete.

“This innovation could revolutionise building design and construction, using locally sourced materials that are easier to recycle,” said Ma.

“It also reflects the global revival of earth-based construction fuelled by net zero goals and interest in local sustainable materials.”

According to RMIT, the new material can make walls robust enough to support low-rise buildings, and can be made onsite “by compacting the soil and water mixture inside the cardboard formwork, either manually or with machines.”

The team is currently seeking industrial partners to progress their invention.

Picture: supplied