Experimental Study of Mechanical Properties of Bamboo’s Joints under Tension and Compression Load

Abstract

The sleeve-bolt connection and the groove-plate connection are two major forms of bamboo’s joints under tension and compression load, and the strength of these two connections is normally governed by the brittle failure mode of shearing-split. A new configuration of sleeve-cement bamboo joint is designed. Comparative loading tests were carried out to study the static tensile and compressive performances of the bamboo joints. It is found that the joint with sleeve-cement connection behaves more ductile under tension and possesses higher strength under compression than those with the sleeve-bolt and groove-plate connections. The sleeve-cement connection ensures effective transition of the axial load in the bamboo joint, and there are more to be optimized in its design.