In the late 1980s a series of papers were published by Bruce MacKenzie analyzing the optimum native Martian material for the first large base.  The result of this analysis was that brick is the best type of building material.  It was this material with which some of the first cities of Earth were built.  In much the same way, brick could be easily made and utilized on Mars.  The brick making process is simple enough with all the ingredients easily accessible.  To manufacture the bricks you simply take fine soil, add water, some mild compression and bake it.  To add some cohesion, some small scraps of parachute or other material can be mixed into the mud.  Although water is needed for the brick making process, most can be recovered from the steam when the bricks are oven baked.  On Mars, excellent raw material is available almost everywhere in the form of iron rich clay-like dust which can be made into mortar with some water.  In fact, test on a simulation Martian soil produced a "duricrete" compound stronger than cement.  In addition, the various missions have shown that Mars has alcium and sulfur in the form of gypsum which can be readily made into plaster. Although bricks and mortar lack tensile strength they have high compressive strength and as a testament to their durability, mortar structures built thousands of years ago in Egypt still stand.