Agriboard Green Building Systems™ manufactures pre-engineered residential, commercial and industrial buildings. We use wheat and rice straw compressed agricultural fiberboard panels and recycled light gauge steel for an easy, fast, fire-resistant, earthquake proof and environmentally friendly building.
Agriboard has spent millions of dollars on independent testing for our products from 5 different independent laboratories, including ASTM, AC-04, TAS and SEAOSC testing for the following areas:
A- Strength & Structural Testing
B- Fire & Flame Spread Tests
C- Sound Transmission Tests
D- Insulation Quality Tests
E- Mold, Mildew, Odor, Smoldering, Termites and Fungi Testing
F- Seismic Testing (earthquake)
G- Moisture Absorption Tests
In this post I am going to focus on some of our strength and structural testing. In the realm of building construction, ensuring the strength and durability of structural panels is paramount. To meet these exacting standards, comprehensive testing is carried out, aligning with the stringent guidelines outlined in ASTM E 72-05, officially known as the "Standard Test Method for Conducting Strength Tests of Panels for Building Construction."
The Transverse Test:
A transverse load test is like a strength test for flat and sturdy materials, such as roof panels that are load bearing. It involves supporting the material at both ends and then adding weight to the middle to see if it can handle the load without bending or breaking.
The Compressive Load Test - Lateral:
A lateral compress load test assesses the ability of a structure or material to withstand pressure applied from the side. Imagine you have a column or wall, and you want to know how much sideways force it can resist before it buckles or fails. During this test, force is applied horizontally or laterally to evaluate the structure's stability and load-bearing capacity in scenarios where it might be subjected to forces from the side, like wind or earthquakes.
The Compressive Load Test - Axial:
Compressive load testing in an axial context is a method used to assess the capacity of a structure or material to withstand a pushing or crushing force applied along its central axis. Think of it like squeezing a column or a pillar vertically. This test is essential for understanding how much weight or pressure a structure can handle before it collapses or deforms vertically. Such as its ability to support the weight of a building.
The Racking Load Test:
A racking load test assesses the ability of a structure to resist lateral or horizontal forces, like earthquakes or strong winds. Imagine pushing a bookshelf sideways to see if it remains stable. During a racking load test, controlled horizontal forces are applied to determine if a structure can maintain its integrity and not collapse or deform excessively.
The Results:
Our panel systems did exceptionally well. Not only did we find our panels could support the weight of a compact car, we also found that the panels had very little deflection due to the composition of straw. They actually returned to nearly the original form without any manipulation. Just like a palm tree, it bends, and then rights itself.
The testers also commented on how perfectly the light gauge steel and compressed straw panels complemented each other with their strength & durability while still being lightweight.
Want to see our full testing results with graphs? Contact us at info@agriboard.com.