I was wondering if you think sawdust in an earthbag as infill in a Larsen truss wall would work, and if so how well? We are building in Kansas.
A bit of research reveals that Larsen trusses are lightweight rigid frames that are installed outside existing load-bearing walls, as a method of creating a large cavity for super-insulating a house and providing structural support for the new sheathing on the wall. Sawdust has been traditionally used as insulation, often mixed with lime to discourage insects, in wall cavities in the old days. I see no reason why your idea wouldn’t work, especially if all general precautions for safeguarding the wall from moisture are made. I am not sure what the R-value of sawdust is, but would expect it to be similar to cellulose insulation, and therefore pretty good. Q: The northeastern Ohio (USA) area where I live has a considerable amount of clay in the soil. Digging down just a few feet often reveals one- to three-foot layers of it. I’ve seen both red clay and white. Would this be suitable for earthbag construction? If so, what sort of preparation would be required prior to loading it into tubes
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