Mexico is the cradle of great ancient civilizations that promoted earth-based architecture (cob, mud-brick, structure fills). Nowadays, such earth-based materials are widely investigated to understand their composition, mechanical properties and its resistance to aging. The present study evaluates the effect of composition on flexural and impact properties as well as water absorption capabilities. Soil was used from pre-Columbian site of la Joya, in Mexico, to manufacture experimental mud-bricks emulating the ancient technique using cut grass and asphalt emulsions. It was found that mechanical stabilization and material cohesion are in function of the additive's nature. Flexural and impact strengths of samples were examined and results were correlated to damage mechanisms by using acoustic emission technique exhibiting the onset, propagation and fracture. Mechanical properties were found to be higher in samples with synthetic additives, compared to control samples.

Soil stabilization with asphalt is a technique that can improve the mechanical properties of soil, being a viable option both economically (reducing transportation costs of materials) and environmentally (mainly in the construction phase, reducing emissions from material transportation by using local materials, and depleting fewer quarries). In this research, a stabilization method with low asphalt content and a slow-setting asphalt emulsion was used. The influence of stabilization on the occurrence of shakedown was analyzed. The results showed an improvement in the resilient modulus (MR) and a reduction in the permanent deformation (PD) of the soil compared to natural soil, but a worsening in PD compared to the control soil. The MR reached values of 600 MPa in the last loading cycle, and PD was reduced by approximately 189%. These results indicate that soil stabilization with asphalt is a promising technique for pavement applications.