A Taxonomy of Techniques and Tools for Rubble

The research presented in this paper investigates how traditional design and fabrication methods can be adapted to mixed mineral construction and demolition waste through computational design and digital fabrication. Forty-seven historical and contemporary masonry techniques associated with rubble were surveyed and analyzed, and a representative selection was explored in physical prototypes with brick and concrete rubble: (i) brickwork, (ii) drystone, (iii) slipform masonry, (iv) block casting and (v) gabion construction. These were evaluated based on the range of inclusion of rubble types, complexity of the adaptation in the terms of design, fabrication and assembly. The results outline two main approaches based on material handling: (I) high data and low tolerance placement methods, where the individual characteristics of the object play an important role, and (II) low data and high tolerance pouring methods, where the behavior of the material as a bulk is of importance. The paper provides an overview of suitable design and construction concepts for unprocessed rubble of different materials, sizes, and geometries and asks what affordances digital technologies can provide to make rubble a competitive digital building material for sustainable architecture.