This page is a repository for supporting documents for a proposed Appendix on Strawbale Construction for the 2015 International Residential Code (IRC).  A Code Change Proposal was submitted to the International Code Council (ICC) on January 3, 2013, with final revisions made on Feb 27, 2013.  The final proposal will be posted at www.iccsafe.org on March 11, 2013 and is posted below as of Feb 28, 2013.

Here you will find testing reports, research papers, professional and academic journal papers, support letters from licensed design professionals, and other references.  This page was established on Dec 26, 2012.  (Most recent update - March 11, 2013)

Please direct all inquiries to Martin Hammer: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 510-525-0525

Proposed Strawbale Construction Appendix for the IRC:

Support Letters from Licensed Design Professionals

Supporting Documentation by Category:
(**Indicates document in direct support of proposed code language)

Bales

Moisture Control

Moisture Monitoring - Ridge Winery
The Ridge Winery near Healdsburg, California is one of the largest straw bale structures in the world.  With straw bale walls up to 23 feet high, coatings of different types of earthen and lime plasters, and many different moisture loading conditions.

Moisture Properties of Straw and Plaster/Straw Assemblies
Tests of straw bales and plastered straw, for capillarity, permeability, and sorption isotherms (John Straube, PE)

Structural Use

Load-Bearing Straw Bale Construction
A summary of worldwide testing and experience (Bruce King, PE)

Out-of-Plane Load Test
Test report of walls with different combinations of plaster and mesh to resist out-of-plane loads. (Kevin Donahue, SE)

In-Plane Cyclic Tests of Plastered Straw Bale Walls - U. of Illinois Testing report on 3 earth-plastered and 3 cement-plastered 8'x8' straw bale wall specimens (Cole Ash; Mark Aschheim, PE; David Mar, SE)

In-Plane Cyclic Tests of Plastered Straw Bale Walls - U. of Washington
Thesis on testing of 2 cement-plastered 8'x8' straw bale wall specimens

In-Plane Cyclic Test of Plastered Straw Bale Wall - California Polytechnic University
Thesis on testing of cement-plastered 4'x8' straw bale wall specimen

In-Plane Monotonic Test of Plastered Straw Bale Wall - California Polytechnic University
Thesis on testing of cement-plastered 8'x8' straw bale wall specimen  

Shake Table Test Video of Full Scale Building Specimen - U. of Nevada, NEES Facility
Video of 14'x14'x10' clay-plastered straw bale building specimen constructed with system developed for earthquake affected Pakistan (Darcey Donovan, PE)

** Seismic Design Factors and Allowable Shears for Strawbale Wall Assemblies** Recommended seismic design factors and allowable shears, including P695 analysis and analysis of in-plane testing results. (Mark Aschheim, PE, et al)

Finishes

Properties of Earth, Lime, and Lime-Cement Plasters
Compressive strength, modulus of rupture, shrinkage, erosion, and modulus of elasticity. (Kelly Lerner, Architect; Kevin Donahue, SE)

Fire Resistance  

Fire Test Results... Show Fire Test Video

1-Hour Fire Resistance of a Straw Bale Wall with Earth Plaster
1-Hour ASTM E119-05a fire test report for non-loadbearing earth-plastered straw bale wall specimen.

2-Hour Fire Resistance of a Straw Bale Wall with Cement Plaster
2-Hour ASTM E119-05a fire test report for non-loadbearing cement-plastered straw bale wall specimen.

Thermal Insulation

Thermal Performance of Straw Bale Wall Systems
Results from thermal tests, particularly the Oak Ridge National Laboratory test, are reviewed, analyzed, and discussed in a summary report.

Other References