Recent developments on bamboo scaffolding in building construction

Abstract

Bamboo scaffolds have been widely used in construction applications in South East Asia, in particular, Hong Kong for many years. Because of their high adaptability and low construction cost, bamboo scaffolds can be constructed in different shapes to follow any irregular architectural features of a building within a comparatively short period of time. Bamboo scaffolds are mainly used to provide access of workers to different exposed locations to facilitate various construction and maintenance process. Besides widely erected on construction sites, bamboo scaffolds are also used in signage erection, decoration work, demolition work, and civil work. In the year 1999, a research and development project titled “Bamboo Scaffolds in Building Construction” was undertaken at the Research Center for Advanced Technology in Structural Engineering (RCATISE) of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University with the support of the International Network of Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR). This was a high-level contracted research project on the technology transfer of bamboo scaffolding aimed at promoting the effective use of bamboo scaffolds in building construction. This chapter presents major deliverables and findings derived from the project.