Abstract
This study was aimed at determining the optimal glue quantity for bamboo lamination. Bamboo laminated boards were produced using glue applied at three different rates: 150 g/m2, 200 g/m2 and 250 g/m2. The boards produced were evaluated for their physical (density, longitudinal, tangential, radial and volumetric shrinkage) and mechanical (impact bending strength, modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture and maximum compressive strength parallel to grain properties. It was discovered that the boards were uniform in their investigated physical properties but the glue quantity significantly influenced both the impact bending strength and modulus of rupture of the boards. Based on the results, it was observed that the boards produced with glue applied at the rate of 200 g/m2 met all the technical specifications on the basis of the investigated physical and mechanical properties, hence, concluded to be the optimal glue quantity for bamboo lamination. Keywords: Bambusa vulgaris, compressive strength, density, glue application rate, optimal glue quantity
Highlights
The increasing world population has been met with a proportional increase in demand for timber, culminating in the depletion of both the natural forests and plantations (Chaowana 2013)
This can be attributed to the weight gain due to increase in glue quantity, resulting into an increase in density in the produced Glued Laminated Timber (Glulam)
The average density recorded was 663,54 kg/m3 and this is in conformity with various studies carried out on the density of bamboo Glulam
Summary
The increasing world population has been met with a proportional increase in demand for timber, culminating in the depletion of both the natural forests and plantations (Chaowana 2013). The problem of deforestation is a long standing one confronting the forestry sector, coupled with the increasing scarcity of the commonly used species in tropical forests This necessitates the need to conduct intensive researches into the potentials of lesser used wood species or alternative woody materials in order to address the problems of wood shortages and relieve the pressure on the economic timber species (Ogunsanwo et al 2015). Bamboo is a naturally occurring composite material, as it consists of cellulose fibres imbedded within a lignin matrix (Li 2004) It is a fast-growing woody plant, which takes up to 5-6 months to attain its maximum height and ready for harvesting after 3-5 years (Abd Rasak 1992). Bamboo is a hollow tube, sometimes with thin walls, and it poses some difficulty in joining bamboo pieces than wood. Laminated bamboo boards exhibits higher specific strength when compared to some highly preferred tropical wood species such as Mansonia altissima, Khaya senegalensis, and Milicia excelsa (Ogunsanwo and Terziev 2010), making bamboo panel products good alternatives to wood
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