Investigation of an alternative testing protocol to determine the shear strength of bamboo parallel to the grain

Gabrielle Luisa Cantos,Corinna Salzer,Luis F Lopez,Lessandro E.O Garciano,Richard M De Jesus

doi:10.4067/s0718-221x2019005000411

Gabrielle Luisa Cantos, Corinna Salzer + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4067/s0718-221x2019005000411

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Abstract

The common testing protocol to determine the shear strength of bamboo parallel to grain is ISO 22157. However, widely documented limitations of this test procedure calls for an alternative testing protocol. This study compared ISO 22157 (TP1) and 2 alternative testing protocols proposed by Base Bahay (TP2a and 2b) in determining shear strength of bamboo parallel to grain. The study used a local bamboo known as “kawayang tinik” (Bambusa blumeana). Results showed that TP1 produced more pure shear failures at 65% compared to TP2a and TP2b at 55% each. Shear strength values between the three methods were not significantly different, although, TP2b resulted in the lowest coefficient of variation at 18%. Also, TP2b was found to be the most effective in terms of specimen preparation, ease of assembly of testing equipment, and low variability in data.

Highlights

Bamboo has been used as a construction material since early times
In all test protocols employed in this study, a local bamboo known as kawayang tinik (Bambusa blumeana), was used as specimen sourced from Tarlac, Philippines
Twenty specimens were tested using ISO 22157 (2004) test protocol, while a total of 40 specimens were tested for both alternative testing protocols: (1) proposed Base Bahay method, and (2) a modification of Base Bahay method

Summary

Introduction

Bamboo has been used as a construction material since early times. It has been used for floors, walls, ceilings, roofs, scaffoldings, bridges, and many others (Li 2004, Alipon et al 2011, and Marquez 2006). The popularity of bamboo in construction is due to its desirable physical and mechanical properties. It is considered as one of the most important bio-based materials because of its renewability (Escamilla and Habert 2014). A bamboo plantation can grow as much as twenty-five centimeters per day and can be harvested every three to five years (Gutu 2013). Because of these characteristics, bamboo is used as an alternative material for wood in developing countries (Cleuren 2003, Malab and Zafaralla 2006, and Marquez 2006). These properties vary along the culm of the bamboo (Oka et al 2014)

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