CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE (LOCAL)

According to researches and articles online, a lot of Filipinos are farm workers. They plant root crops
such as corns, peanuts and most especially is the rice, as Philippines has lots of rice fields and Filipinos staple
food is rice. But after the harvest, a lot of straw panels were wasted at usually reincarnated. By the data, the
Philippines reportedly produces approximately 40,000 metric tons of solid waste each day, according to a report
from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), (2021), Unfortunately, only about 73% of this waste is collected and
disposed of appropriately, while the remaining 27% is either incinerated or left in open dumpsites. Such
practices could have adverse effects on public health and the environment.

Furthermore, as reported by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), (2011), the report
explores the potential advantages of employing agricultural waste as a construction material, with a particular
emphasis on straw bale construction. It is suggested that utilizing straw bale construction can serve as an
additional income source for farmers, who can sell the straw at a higher price point than disposing of or
incinerating it as waste. The report also examines the potential health and environmental benefits of using straw
bale as a building material, as well as the technical aspects of constructing and designing straw bale buildings.

Based on the data of Design and Development of Straw Bale House, (2018), to better understand and
advance current public acceptability of using rice straw as a construction material, this project intends to design
and produce a straw-bale house. Since the adaptation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030,
building sustainability is a topic that is receiving a lot of attention. Rice straw is a renewable resource from both
an ecological and environmental point of view. The majority of studies are including SDGs, for instance,
sustainable consumption, responsible consumption of natural resources, and waste utilization. The material
selected might decrease the buildings. In this study, the researchers designed and developed the compaction
straws and method of installation of baled rice straw as load-bearing walls of a house, with the goal of reducing
the initial environmental impact of replacing concrete hollow blocks with agricultural wastes such as rice straw.
The mock home built in barangay San Nicholas, Pampanga, is evidence that creativity and ongoing research into
less expensive construction materials are still viable.

Conforming to The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), (2019), has released a report exploring
the potential economic advantages of utilizing rice straw as a construction material. The report highlights that
the use of rice straw in construction can offer farmers an additional source of income, while also reducing waste
and greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, this approach can create employment opportunities in rural areas.
Thus, this study is low-cost, sustainable, and beneficial to farmers because the wasted straw panels become
well-utilized and can help the farmers as an added source of income by selling it.

This study seeks to innovate a new product that is comparably effective than a hollow blocks. According
to Manoloto, J.A. (2018), rice straw is an agricultural waste product that is disposed of through burning in the
Philippines. Its use as a composite material in the construction of green buildings can lower costs and risks to the
environment from burning crops. With suitable mixing techniques, a fiber-reinforced concrete (rice straw)
design can achieve good strength and insulating properties in proportion. The goal of this investigation is to
identify the effectiveness of using rice stalks or straw in place of traditional, heavy building materials. The
findings indicate that the concrete’s rice straw content has an inverse relationship with compressive strength.
On the 28th day of curing, the sample with 100% rice straw replacement reached a compressive strength value of
266.00 psi, but the sample with 0% rice straw replacement did not. The straw reached 1,526.00 psi. The value of
the compressive strength was to a maximum reduction of 82.56 percent. As a result of the combinations’
decreased workability and increased water requirement, using only rice straw as an aggregate rendered
concrete less dense and therefore lighter. To assist, a plasticizer was combined with an air entraining admixture.
Boost the concrete mixture’s workability.

Consistent with the study of Goh et al. (2020), conducted a study to investigate the compressive
strength of compacted straw bale panels and their potential as an alternative building material. The aim of the
study was to determine whether compacted straw bale panels could provide comparable compressive strength
to concrete blocks. The results showed that compacted straw bale panels do indeed have comparable
compressive strength to concrete blocks, suggesting that they could be a viable alternative for building
construction. The conclusion of the study highlights the potential benefits of using compacted straw bale panels
as an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to traditional building materials.

While the study of Isabelita T. Bautista and Lilia Robies-Austriaco, (2018), examined the possibility of
using rice straws as reinforcement in concrete hollow blocks. The results showed that using rice straws as
reinforcement significantly boosted the strength of concrete hollow blocks. It was demonstrated that hollow rice
straw-reinforced concrete blocks had higher levels of absorption properties but lower moisture contents, and
are more resistant to compressive stresses, impact force, and flexural stresses. The reinforcements were of
three different lengths of rice straws while keeping the same volume fraction of rice straws. The straws were not
chemically treated and were trimmed to lengths of 1.5 in (38.09 mm), 2 in (50.8 mm), and 2.5 in (63.5 mm). The
sun was used to dry the rice straws, and they were kept away from fungi to prevent fungus growth. The
common mixture used in the manufacturing of hollow blocks, 1: 2: 4, comprising cement, sand, and water, was
chosen. Rice straw reinforced concrete hollow block output was comparable to that of regular concrete hollow
block manufacturing. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that the hollow block industry could boost strength
while lowering production costs. Therefore; based on the data, the straw panels have a high compressive
strength.

In the Philippines, we have a lot of natural disaster like typhoon and earthquake, and we need a house
or a building which is strong enough to resist any disaster and can effectively keep us safe. According to The
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), (2023), reported that straw bale panels can
provide good seismic resistance, which is crucial in the Philippines, a country with a high risk of earthquakes. The
aim of their report was to explore the potential of straw bale panels as a building material that can withstand
seismic activity. The conclusion of the report suggests that the use of straw bale panels in construction could
improve the seismic performance of buildings in earthquake-prone areas.

Concordantly, Lit et al (2019) aimed to investigate the seismic resistance of compacted straw bale
panels. Their findings concluded that these panels are a promising solution for earthquake-prone regions, as
they can effectively resist earthquake forces. Hence, straw panels have a good seismic resistance.

Straw panels can be burn. As stated from the report, the straw panels are usually burned by the farmers.
And the former researchers recommending to test the fire resistance of the straw panels. According to
Tavukcuoglu et al. (2015), conducted a study to investigate the fire resistance of straw bale panels and evaluate
their suitability for use in building construction. The authors performed a series of fire tests on straw bale panels
and compared their performance to that of other building materials. The study concluded that straw bale panels
have good fire resistance properties, making them a safe option for building construction. The authors noted
that the high density of compacted straw bales, combined with the plaster coating used to finish the panels,
contributed to their excellent fire resistance. The findings of this study suggest that straw bale panels can be a
viable alternative to conventional building materials for fire-resistant construction. Thereupon, the compacted
straw panels are safe as an option for walling.

This study has a lot of advantages have to human health, animals and the environment, and it can give a
pleasant aesthetic view. Based on the study of Walker and Upham (2019), it is aimed to evaluate the
environmental sustainability of straw bale panels in construction. The authors conducted a literature review to
analyze the carbon footprint of buildings constructed with straw bale panels and compared it to buildings
constructed with conventional materials. The review’s conclusion was that the use of straw bale panels in
construction can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of buildings, making it an environmentally sustainable
option. The authors noted that the carbon sequestration potential of straw bale panels, combined with their low
embodied energy, results in a much lower environmental impact compared to conventional building materials.
The review’s findings suggest that the use of straw bale panels in construction can be an effective way to reduce
the environmental impact of buildings.

Our country Philippines is a tropical country but we are also struggling in a high temperature specially in
summer. Hence, one of the advantages of this innovation is it gives a comfortable feeling because of the lower
temperature using straw bale panels as an alternative for a construction material. Based on the study of Ganjian
and Beheshti’s, (2011), was investigate the thermal performance of straw bale panels and its impact on the
comfort levels of building occupants. The study concluded that straw bale panels exhibited excellent thermal
performance, which could contribute to enhanced comfort for the individuals inhabiting the building.

Moreover, Khare et al. (2016) conducted a study to investigate the potential of straw bale panels to
create a healthier indoor environment. The aim of the study was to determine whether straw bale panels have
low VOC emissions and can regulate indoor humidity levels. The results showed that straw bale panels do
indeed have low VOC emissions and can regulate indoor humidity levels effectively, suggesting that they could
be a viable option for creating a healthier indoor environment. The conclusion of the study highlights the
potential benefits of incorporating straw bale panels in building design.

In addition, this study also has advantage to lessen the noise of the room. As per, Cabeza et al. (2017)
conducted a study to investigate the acoustic insulation properties of straw bale panels. The aim was to
determine whether these panels could be used to create a quieter indoor environment. The results showed that
straw bale panels have good acoustic insulation properties, suggesting that they could be a viable option for
reducing noise levels in buildings. Therefore, incorporating straw bale panels in building design could provide a
quieter indoor environment.

Lastly, this study gives a pleasant view. Based on the study of Aesthetic Cabeza et al. (2017), conducted a
study to investigate the acoustic insulation properties of straw bale panels. The aim was to determine whether
these panels could be used to create a quieter indoor environment. The results showed that straw bale panels
have good acoustic insulation properties, suggesting that they could be a viable option for reducing noise levels
in buildings. Therefore, incorporating straw bale panels in building design could provide a quieter indoor
environment. In conclusion, this study is not just a safe alternative to hollow blocks but a healthier and more
beneficial in a lot of factors.
 According from the previous research and articles, Rice straw panel is high resistance when it comes to
compressive strength because of its properties. The researchers also concluded that rice straw panels are fire
resistant, ecofriendly, seismic resistant, quieter indoor, and has an aesthetic view. Hence, the researchers want
to improve and develop the gap of these previous studies specifically on adding a solution to the mixture of
aggregates and water to prevent the straw bale panels to decay.

THEORETICAL

Philippines has abundant supplies of rice straw panels which brings the researchers the idea to study and create
a valuable construction material from the waste.