INNOVATIVE PRE-FABRICATED CONNECTORS FOR BAMBOO ARCHITECTURE

Abstract

Bamboo is the natural construction material that has become the trend for the sustainable architecture, due to its renewability. Bamboo connections are considered the most difficult process that consumes construction time. This study is the design experiment how innovative connections can expedite the fabrication and their performance. The study deals with the design of connection prototypes for bamboo framing and tests their performance in actual construction. Connectors are designed into the receivers and the nozzles. Receivers act like the female connector. They are receptors at foundation to transfer loads to ground. The nozzles are the male connector that looks like an extruder attached to the end of structural members to connect to the receivers. Nozzles are offered in both a single culm and split bundles. The experiment also designed the straps for bamboo splits, to wrap the split together into one bundle. Steel connectors are introduced to initiate the bamboo construction as pre-fabrication process, yet the strength of connections is maintained. These prototypes are also applied to actual construction to verify the constructability, performance, and architectural applications. It is found that connectors are effective to minimize construction time, but still have other limitation. The study took lesson learned to design more permanent connectors to solve all restricted issues. Finally, innovative connectors were created into many variety forms for fabrication. They can also perform greatly in strength and attractive look. These findings can motivate architects to explore possibility for bamboo architecture in pre-fabrication process, and to be more innovatively and effectively.