A POSSIBLE INNOVATION IN THE TRADITIONAL MANUFACTURING OF THE GALEB BRICK IN SOUTHERN TUNISIA

Tunisia, especially its southern oasis, includes some of the most important richness of the architectural and environmental heritage in the Mediterranean area.
The “oasis cities” are, generally, located in a desert environment characterized by a beautiful natural landscape but also by aggressive climate conditions: extreme temperatures, severe drought and strong sandstorms blowing from various directions [1,2]. Vernacular architecture, that has its origins in nature, represents a result of human creative genius [3], using local natural resources for surviving in this extreme surrounding.
In these cities, the oasis is commonly used as a first protection against the harsh weather. It creates a specific microclimate reinforced by a particular urban typology which helps to reduce wind force and providing shades for reducing the aggressiveness of the high summer heat. This urban typology is characterized, especially, by a compact urban tissue, narrow and curvilinear streets covered in some parts creating shadow areas, and traditional homes with inner courts and introverted rooms creating a specific bioclimatic effect withstanding the harsh external desert climate [4].
Kebili, Touzeur and Nefta represent emblematic examples of “oasis cities”, which are characterized by a peculiar architecture based on the use of local building processes and construction materials.
The galeb of Kebili, as well as the galeb of Touzeur, and the palm wood represent some of the typical local construction materials used in the oasis cities of southern Tunisia.
Tha Galeb of Kebili is a sun-dried, unfired brick (size, about 15x15x30 cm) obtained by mixing: (1) water; (2) Sahara sand fired using palm wood waste as fuel; (3) resulting palm wood ash. The typical steps of the traditional production process are shown in Figure 1. The Sahara sand used in the […]