Abstract
The purpose of this study is to analyze the legislation types and prescriptions of American earth building codes. The process of this study is as follows: (1) To understand the legislation background of American earth building codes, this study investigated the history and present state of earth building techniques which is used in USA. (2) To understand the legislation method and procedure of American earth building codes, this study investigated the legislation system of American building codes and the process of model building codes development and adoption. (3) To provide basic data for the legislation of Korean earth building codes or guidelines, this study analyzed American earth building codes about adobe, compressed earth block and rammed earth. The result of this study is as follows: (1) To meet need of a single coordinated set of national model building codes in the United States, the nation's three model code groups decided to form the International Code Council and the first edition of the International Building Code was published in 1997. In the International Building Code there are prescriptions on adobe construction. (2) There are three legislation types of earth building codes in USA. First is to use prescriptions of International Building Code on adobe construction. Second is that State governments establish and issue a separate document under its own title. The last is that local jurisdictions adopt International Building Code with amendments or additional rules. (3) On the base of analysis of American earth building codes, this study proposed the legislation process and direction of Korean earth building codes and guidelines.
