The results obtained in the experimental study of mineral wool slabs under short-term compressive, tensile and shear loads, used for insulating flat roofs, cast-in-place floors, curtain and external basement walls, as well as for sound insulation of floors, are presented. To describe the experimental data of strength and deformability of mineral wool slabs, the regression equations of the linear form, provided with one-sided confidence intervals for predicting the resultant characteristic with probability P = 0.90, are used. The interrelationship between strength and deformability characteristics of mineral wool slabs under tension and shear, and their strength and deformability under short-term compression are determined. Based on the experimental data, differences in deformability and strength characteristics of mineral wool slabs under shear load in mutually perpendicular planes (in the direction of slab forming and perpendicular to it) are demonstrated. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.