Caliche: Nature’s Natural Concrete

International Concrete Abstracts Portal

The International Concrete Abstracts Portal is an ACI led collaboration with leading technical organizations from within the international concrete industry and offers the most comprehensive collection of published concrete abstracts.

  


Title: Caliche: Nature’s Natural Concrete

Author(s): Luke M. Snell

Publication: Concrete International

Volume: 38

Issue: 4

Appears on pages(s): 70-71

Keywords: clay, soil, slurry, strength

DOI:

Date: 4/1/2016

Abstract:
A massive structure known as the Casa Grande Ruins was built in the 1300s near Coolidge, AZ. The material used to construct Casa Grande was caliche, a natural-occurring clay soil containing calcium carbonate and small percentages of sand and small rocks. For construction purposes, the caliche soil was mined in large lumps, broken into smaller pieces, and mixed with water to make a caliche slurry. Test results for mortar cubes produced using a small sample of caliche are reported, showing that the material has a relatively high compressive strength.




  

Edit Module Settings to define Page Content Reviewer