Evaluation of bond strength in bamboo reinforced-high grade concrete at elevated temperature

Abstract

Abstract Concrete traditionally relies on steel reinforcement to address its weak tensile strength. However, due to concerns such as high production costs, non-renewability, and sustainability issues associated with steel, developing countries like India and African nations are turning to locally available bamboo as a reinforcement material in low-cost buildings. This study explores the feasibility of bamboo reinforcement in fly ash concrete (FAC) by examining the post-fire behavior of the bond strength between bamboo and FAC through pull-out tests. Initial tensile strength assessments of locally available bamboo strips are carried out. Various mechanical and chemical treatments, including grooving, wire wrapping, clamping, and epoxy-based sand coating, are applied to investigate their impact on post-fire bond strength. Despite certain treatments exhibiting higher initial bond strengths, their susceptibility to the fire test emphasizes the need for ongoing research and refinement. Notably, the treatment involving plain bamboo with epoxy-based sand coating and wire wrapping emerges as a promising option, demonstrating resilience with only a 21% drop in bond strength after exposure to fire.