Use of Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) Tape to Increase the Strength of Bamboo

Abstract

Poly vinyl chloride is suggested to use as confining material around bamboo to increase its strength. Investigation is done on PVC confined bamboo by performing tensile and compressive strength test. Then we compared the mechanical performance of unconfined bamboo and PVC confined bamboo. In this research bamboo is also tested for water absorption with and without PVC tape reinforcement. Later, on these grounds we also derived adhesive value of PVC tape, which can be used to find out length of tape required for any percent of increment in strength of bamboo. Preliminary results of tensile tests, compressive tests and water absorption test on bamboo (scientific name Bambusa vulgaris native name chadao bans or jad vala bans) are presented in this research. As bamboo confined in PVC is 27.25% more strong in tension and 77.19% more strong in compression than unconfined bamboo which depicts that bamboo confined with PVC tape can be a future alternative for steel in reinforced concrete.