Over the last 10 years, a growing number of load-bearing straw bale buildings have been built in the UK. Walls formed from stacked bales of straw are used as load-bearing walls in low-rise, typically single-storey, buildings. Data on structural characteristics, including vertical and lateral load capacity, are scarce, however. Published results from load testing mostly originate from either the USA or Australia [1,2], where the form of construction often differs from that generally adopted in the UK [3].
This report describes and summarises findings from a series of vertical load compression tests on four unplastered walls [4] and one lime rendered straw bale wall.
Author: Walker, Peter
