Tensile Mechanics of Bamboo Strips

Abstract

Mechanical properties of Semantan bamboo (Gigantochloa scortechinii) strips loaded in tensile parallel to grain were documented. The specimens were taken from bottom, middle and top portions of bamboo culms. In each portion, specimens were taken from internodes and node parts. Specimens from internodes part indicated absence of node while specimens from nodes indicated presence of node at the middle section of each specimen. From the results, there was an increment of tensile mechanic values for Semantan bamboo strips in bottom to top portions, due to the increment of fibro vascular bundles amount in the respective portions. Generally, the failures modes of bamboo strips loaded in tensile were divided into Splintering (Mode I) and Brittle Splintering (Mode II). Mode I occurred in internodes of all portions while Mode II occurred in node. Mode I presented higher tensile mechanic values due to the fibres behaviour of bamboo strips, which is more compact, longer and parallel with axial and uniform grain orientation, compared to the short, forked and crossed fibres as well as uneven orientation of vascular bundles in Mode II.