Abstract
Engineered bamboo is increasingly explored as a material with significant potential for structural applications. The material is comprised of raw bamboo processed into a laminated composite. Commercial methods vary due to the current primary use as an architectural surface material, with processing used to achieve different colours in the material. The present work investigates the effect of two types of processing methods, bleaching and caramelisation, to determine the effect on the mechanical properties. A comparison to other engineered bamboo and timber products is also presented. The results of the study indicate that processing does affect the mechanical properties of engineered bamboo products. Areas in need of further research are also identified for thermally treated bamboo to be used in structural applications.
Highlights
Research and development of engineered bamboo products is increasingly explored to design sustainable building materials for the built environment
With over 1200 species worldwide, bamboo has the potential to serve as an alternative construction material, the use of bamboo in construction is currently limited to cultural traditions and marginally engineered applications due to the lack of standardisation and inherent variability of the material within and between species [3,4]
A summary of the test results is presented in Table 2 with additional observations for each mechanical property presented in the sections below
Summary
Research and development of engineered bamboo products is increasingly explored to design sustainable building materials for the built environment. Bamboo is recognised as a material that can serve as a competitive and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional construction materials [1]. Bamboo grows rapidly and matures to structural strength within 3–5 years, which allows the material to be harvested more quickly than conventional materials such as timber [2]. With over 1200 species worldwide, bamboo has the potential to serve as an alternative construction material, the use of bamboo in construction is currently limited to cultural traditions and marginally engineered applications due to the lack of standardisation and inherent variability of the material within and between species [3,4].
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