The earth in the architecture of the historical centre of Lamezia Terme (Italy): Characterization for restoration

In Calabria (Italy) there are original examples of earth buildings called “casedde” distinguished from the houses realised in stone or indicated locally with the term “casini” or “turri”. The historical centres of Sambiase and Nicastro, villages which belong to the municipality of Lamezia Terme, in the Tyrrhenian side of Catanzaro province are an example of urban centres in which there are buildings of 4 -5 floors completely or partially realized in earth bricks (adobe) connected with a mortar made of clay and lime. In the present study the mineralogical, physical and mechanical characterization of adobe samples coming from seven different buildings in bad state of conservation has been carried out together with the analysis of the Local Earth for comparison. The analyses evidenced the absence of any mixing intervention in the earth except for the possible addition of straw. It was also discovered the optimum amount of clay minerals which determines the best mechanical characteristics for that earth. Moreover it was evidenced that new bricks realised with earth taken where the local masons indicated the presence of material suitable for the realisation of earth bricks, exhibit a mechanical behaviour similar to that of the old bricks with the best mechanical characteristics, testifying that such earth can be utilised in consolidation interventions which foresee substitutions and partial reconstruction of bricks.