[anon1m0us]

You aren't exactly correct. Cement is a binder. Cement can be used to bind rammed earth. I think you mean to say "Concrete." There is a difference.

Rammed earth will crack in a flat application just like concrete, which also will not crack as bad in a wall formation as it will in a flat foundation type application. This is due to rammed earth and concrete having excellent resistance to compression, as gravity does to a wall, but they are both weak in tension.

Sometimes rammed earth does require binders like I said before depending on locally available materials. There is fussy carpentry involved because you need to make forms for the walls within which you ram the earth.

It's not as strong as stone, unless you use the appropriate binders and you should get your finished product tested for strength before using it in a load bearing capacity.

It's still a good building material, I do agree with that, but it is not just as good as concrete and it only approaches the strength of concrete when cement is used as a binder. No readily available natural materials come close to the strength of cement bound aggregates.

[mudlark]

Not totally weather resistant. And you likely need to stand it up on stone, or waterproof foundation. Walls need good capping. Good eaves help, but once you are at this kind of structure, tmberframe or concrete column, with any old in fill may do. Many modern concretes are blends, papercrete, hempcrete, timbercrete, benefit from breathability. Rammed earth at least benefits from reusable form work. And I reckon could easily be automated. Clay and straw is a classic too. A mix of materials a good idea, especially given building sand scarcity and environmental destruction.

[erikpukinskis]

I agree with most of that.

Primarily, I agree that concrete is easier if you are looking for a “no brainer”, just pay someone and forget about it type project.

But if you are willing to do some more leg work to find good people and can afford to pay them, rammed earth will be a better result for most small (<10,000 sqft) “sub-urban” applications.