Bamboo is a strong, flexible, sustainable building material that has been used for construction purposes for centuries, however its use has been limited due to a lack of structural design data and exclusion from building codes; the document discusses bamboo's mechanical properties and provides examples of how it can be used for building foundations, walls, roofs, and as reinforcement in concrete as well as methods for protecting bamboo through borax treatment.

1. BAMBOO
CONSTRUCTION
TUSHAR CHOUDHARI (G06112)
ANKITA KOLAMKAR (G06131)
6th batch - PGP-ACM

2. INTRODUCTION…
ø Bamboo has been in wide usage since ancient times as a low-cost material
for houses, bridges etc.
ø Recently started appearing in designer homes as flooring, walling and
paneling material
ø Is viewed as a material preferred only by the poor or for temporary
constructions
ø Unpopular in conventional construction due to low durability, lack of
structural design data, exclusion from building codes etc.

3. Facts about bamboo
ø Bamboo is a perennial grass.
ø 1450 species are found in diverse
climates across the world.
ø One of the fastest growing plants on
Earth.
ø The strongest part of a bamboo stalk is
its node, where branching occurs.
ø Bamboo has also long been used as
scaffolding material.

4. MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
PROPERTY VALUE
Density 0.5 – 0.9 gm/cc
Compressive Strength 6.2 – 9.3 kN/sq. cm
Tension Strength 14.8 – 38.4 kN/sq. cm
Bending Strength 7.6 – 27.6 kN/sq. cm
Modulus of Elasticity 2000 kN/sq. cm
Shearing Strength 2.0 kN/sq. cm

5. Usage Of Bamboo In Building
Construction
Typical Building Elements
• Foundations
• Floors
• Walls
• Roof
• Trusses
• Doors and Windows

6. Bamboo foundations
COMPOSITE BAMBOO-CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS
Single Post Footing Strip Footing

7. Bamboo foundations
BAMBOO PILES
ø Bamboo compacts soft
soil, thus increasing the bearing
capacity of soil.
ø The friction provided by the
construction-grade bamboo
increases its load-bearing
capacity.
ø Treated split bamboo piles 8m
long and 80 to 90mm in
diameter were filled with A sustainable house in
coconut coir strands wrapped Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala where bamboo
with jute. piles have been used as foundation . The
foundation is further strengthened by
bamboo reinforced concrete.

8. Bamboo foundations
BAMBOO PILES
ø The sections
were then tied
with galvanised
iron wire. After
installation of
the piles @2m
c/c by drop
hammer, the area
is covered with a
2.5m surcharge
of sandy
material.

9. Bamboo WALLS
WOVEN VERTICAL
BAJAREQUE
BAMBOO WALL HALVED CULMS
WHOLE BAMBOO
CULMS WATTLE AND DAUB

10. Bamboo Roofs and Trusses
Fink Truss
Bamboo Tiles used for Roofing

11. How to protect bamboo…
UNTREATED BAMBOO
ø Untreated bamboo has the following life
spans in different conditions
> Exposure to soil and atmosphere = 1-3 years
> Under cover = 4-7 years
> Very favourable conditions = 10-15 years
ø Natural durability also depends on the
species of the bamboo
PRE-HARVEST AND POST HARVEST
PRECAUTIONS
ø Felling during low sugar content season i.e.
dry season
ø Felling of mature bamboo
ø Post harvesting transpiration
ø Water soaking

12. How to protect bamboo…
BORAX – BORIC ACID PRESERVATION TREATMENT
Drill bits attached to a long steel At the preservation treatment
rod, are used to drill into the pool, bamboo soaks in borax-boric
centre of bamboo culms through acid solution (1:1.4) for 2 days to
their whole length. allow the mineral to penetrate.

13. How to protect bamboo…
BORAX – BORIC ACID PRESERVATION TREATMENT
Bamboo is removed and stacked Next, the bamboo poles are left
vertically so the solution can to bask in the sun depending on
drain and be reused. the amount of sunlight

14. How to protect bamboo…
BORAX – BORIC ACID PRESERVATION TREATMENT
Preservative solution is recharged
after four cycles by adding water
The bamboo poles are left to dry and the chemicals. Preservation
slowly in a cool, dry place until they treatment costs a minimum charge
are used for construction. of INR 4.50 per pole.

15. How to protect bamboo…
ø The swelling and shrinkage of bamboo in concrete is a serious limitation
in the use of bamboo as a substitute for steel in concrete.
ø Treatment - Application of a thin layer of epoxy to the bamboo surface
followed by a coating of fine sand.

16. REINFORCED BAMBOO
Bamboo Reinforced Column Bamboo Beams

17. Comparison Of Bamboo With Other
Construction Materials

18. COMPARISON BETWEEN BAMBOO & STEEL
Bamboo Steel
Property
(kN/sq. cm) (kN/sq. cm)
Modulus of Elasticity 2000 21000
Compressive Strength 6.2 – 9.3 14
Tension Strength 14.8 – 38.4 16
Bending Strength 7.6 – 27.6 14
Shear Strength 2.0 9.2

19. advantages
ø Strength - Strong natural fibre, when
cultivated, harvested, prepared and
stored properly.
ø Flexibility – During its growth, it
may be trained to grow in
unconventional shapes and may be
utilized in archways and other
curved areas.
ø Earthquake-resistance – High shock
absorption makes it particularly
useful in earthquake-prone areas.

20. advantages
ø Lightweight - Thus, building with
bamboo can be accomplished faster
with simple tools than building with
other materials.
ø Cost-effective – Especially in areas
where it is cultivated and is readily
available.
ø Durability - As long-lasting as its
wooden correlates, when properly
harvested and maintained.

21. RESISTANCE TO EARTHQUAKES
ø High residual strength to absorb
shocks and impacts.
ø Flexure coupled with its very low
mass.
ø A house in Bhutan that withstood
an earthquake measuring 6.9 in
September 2011
ø 30 houses at the epicenter of a 7.6
magnitude earthquake survived
Prototype house built by EEVRC without any damage in Costa Rica
in 1991

22. Comparative analysis
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0 Concrete
Rate of construction per sq.foot in INR Bamboo

23. Comparative analysis
Energy consumption during construction
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Concrete structure Wood structure Bamboo structure

24. Limitations and drawbacks
Few considerations currently limit the use of bamboo as a universally
applicable construction material
ø Jointing techniques - Although many traditional joint types exist, their
structural efficiency is low. Considerable research has been directed at
the development of more effective methods.
ø Flammability - Bamboo structures are not fire-resistant, and the cost of
treatment, where available, is relatively high.
ø Splitting – Low strength along fibres causes it to split or crack.
ø Lack of design guidance and codification - The engineering design of
bamboo structures has not yet been fully addressed. There is little or no
data containing specifications of bamboo.

25. CONCLUSIONS
ø Based on the research results of bamboo obtained in universities and
other institutes around the world the first norms for bamboo were
created determining the physical and mechanical properties of bamboo.
ø These norms have been evaluated by International Code Council and will
be included in the ISO norms in near future.
ø The results of the investigations show that bamboo can substitute steel
satisfactorily
ø There is a need to introduce formal education on the use of bamboo as a
structural material in design and technical schools.

26. QUESTIONS OPINIONS IDEAS