Experimental Study on Consolidation Behavior of Grass-Wrapped Clay Stack Block at Liangzhu Archaeological Site

Grass-wrapped clay stacking technology, used extensively at the Liangzhu archaeological site, demonstrates superior engineering advantages over traditional clay stacking. A comparative study found that grass-wrapped blocks require less load to achieve the same strain and exhibit significant secondary consolidation deformation under constant stress, unlike conventional clay blocks. The staggered arrangement of these blocks forms overhead pores acting as efficient drainage channels, while the grass-soil skeleton provides structural strength without disrupting pore connectivity during compression. This results in higher permeability and consolidation coefficients at equivalent void ratios or effective stresses. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for understanding the durability and performance of this ancient construction technique.

Chen, W., Liu, F., Yang, T., Tang, X., & Li, Y. (2025). Experimental Study on Consolidation Behavior of Grass-Wrapped Clay Stack Block at Liangzhu Archaeological Site. International Journal of Architectural Heritage, 20(2), 229–243. https://doi.org/10.1080/15583058.2025.2527329