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Author: Base

Establishment of Characteristic Shear Strength Parallel to Fiber of Different Local Bamboo Species in the Philippines

Authors

Brian E. Bautista

Lessandro E.O. Garciano

Luis F. Lopez

Abstract

The adoption of bamboo as an alternative to traditional building materials in the Philippines is hampered due to its non-inclusion in the local structural code. Given the inherent variability in the mechanical properties of bamboo, determining its characteristic strength is crucial in the development of the local bamboo structural code. The literature on the characteristic strength of bamboo is also limited. In this study, the characteristic shear strength of several economically viable bamboo species in the Philippines was established based on 220 shear test results. Two factors led to the choice of this mechanical property: (1) Shear strength parallel to fiber exhibits the highest degree of variation among mechanical properties; and (2) Shear is one of the governing forces on joint connections, and these connections are the weak points in bamboo structures when exposed to extreme loading conditions. All tests were conducted in accordance with the ISO 22157-1 (2017) shear test protocol. ISO 12122-1 (2014) was used to calculate the characteristic shear strength. The results showed that Bambusa philippinensis has the highest characteristic shear strength value (7.26 MPa) followed by Dendrocalamus asper (6.98 MPa), Bambusa vulgaris (6.46 MPa), Bambusa blumeana (5.15 MPa), and Gigantochloa apus (5.11 MPa). A comparison of the shear strength values using One-way ANOVA also revealed statistically significant differences in shear strength among these bamboo species, highlighting the importance of bamboo species identification in the structural design process.

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Mechanical Characterization of Bamboo Pole for Building Engineering: A Review

Authors

N. A. Bahrin
M. K. Kamarudin
H. Mansor
Y. Sahol-Hamid
Z. Ahmad,
L. F. Lopez

Abstract

Bamboo is a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to traditional construction materials. Despite the fact that three species are well known for structural applications, namely Dendrocalamus asper, Gigantochloa scortechinii, and Gigantochloa levis, the scientific data for their mechanical characterization is scarcely available and widely dispersed. In addition, a systematic literature review appraising the study advancement of mechanical characterization of bamboo had been unavailable. This paper bridges this gap by conducting a systematic literature review (SLR) of the available literature of mechanical characterization of bamboo pole. A total of 54 relevant articles were retrieved from Scopus and snowballing and then put forward through bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer. The results showed that the distribution of data for physical and mechanical characterization of the aforementioned species was scattered due to the different location (origin), age, and initial moisture content recorded during empirical work among the researchers. This review’s importance and distinctiveness lie in its synthesis of the existing literature on bamboo mechanical characterization. The findings provide a point of reference for both academia and industry by bridging the scarcity of current bamboo engineering data and outlining future possibilities for bamboo research in the building and construction domain.

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Microstructure and Mechanical Performance of Bamboo Fiber Reinforced Mill-Scale—Fly-ash Based Geopolymer Mortars

Authors

Roneh Glenn D. Libre Jr., De La Salle University
Julius L. Leaño Jr., Department of Science and Technology, Philippine Textile Research Institute
Luis Felipe Lopez, Base Bahay Foundation, Inc.
Carlo Joseph D. Cacanando, Base Bahay foundation, Inc.
Michael Angelo B. Promentilla, De La Salle University
Jason Maximino C. Ongpeng, De La Salle University

Abstract

Natural fiber reinforcement in cementitious matrices is being explored to provide an environment-friendly solution for lowering the overall carbon footprint of construction materials while giving the matrix much-needed tensile strength. Short bamboo fibers extracted from Bambusa blumeana or Kawayan tinik using 5% sodium hydroxide solution and treated with 10% aluminum sulfate solution are used to reinforce zero-cement geopolymer mortars. Bamboo fibers with varying lengths of 10 mm, 20 mm, and 30 mm are mixed with mill-scale – fly ash-based geopolymer in varying 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% fiber loading per weight of specimen sample. Compressive strength and split tensile strength tests are administered to small cylinder samples, 50 mm in diameter by 100 mm in height, in accordance with ASTM C780. An optimum fiber length of 20 mm and fiber loading of 1.4% by weight is determined using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The addition of bamboo fibers increased the unconfined compressive strength up to 292.41% compared to specimens without bamboo fibers. The split tensile strength also improved by up to a 355.82% increase compared to control samples. The corresponding high-strength and low-strength samples are also subjected to Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy – Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR-ATR) to investigate and compare the stretching of bands between the raw materials and tested specimens. Scanning Electron Microscopy – Energy Dispersive X-Ray analysis (SEM-EDX) is used to show microscopic images and the elements present in the selected samples. The implications of the results on the material development of bamboo fiber-reinforced geopolymer mortar for construction are discussed.

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In-Plane Shear Behavior of Unreinforced Masonry Wall Strengthened with Bamboo Fiber Textile-Reinforced Geopolymer Mortar

Authors

Roneh Glenn D. Libre Jr., De La Salle University
Julius L. Leaño Jr., Department of Science and Technology, Philippine Textile Research Institute
Luis Felipe Lopez, Base Bahay Foundation, Inc.
Carlo Joseph D. Cacanando, Base Bahay Foundation, Inc.
Michael Angelo B. Promentilla, De La Salle University
Ernesto J. Guades, University of Guam
Lessandro Estelito O. Garciano, De La Salle University
Jason Maximino C. Ongpeng, De La Salle University

Abstract

Old structures that are made of adobe or brick walls are usually unreinforced and not designed for lateral forces. In-plane loads applied to unreinforced masonry walls (URM) are the usual cause of damage and failure of old buildings. In this research, small unreinforced brick masonry wallettes, 350 mm × 350 mm and 50 mm in thickness, are strengthened using bamboo fiber textile and plastered to the face of the walls using short bamboo fiber-reinforced geopolymer mortar. The wallettes are subjected to diagonal shear tests as described by ASTM E519 to investigate the in-plane shear performance of the strengthening method. The performances of 5 wallettes strengthened on one-side with mortar only, 5 wallettes on both-sides with mortar only, 5 wallettes with textile plastered on one-side only, and another 5 wallettes with textile plastered on both-sides, are compared to 5 control specimens without any strengthening. It is observed that the wallettes strengthened on one side and both sides with textile yield an increase in shear of about 24% and 35% in average, respectively. Failure modes show that the usual failure for URM is running bond failure and for strengthened URM is columnar failure. The implications of the results can be used in developing textile-reinforced geopolymer mortar systems to strengthen URM walls.

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Assessment of Fire Resistance Performance of Composite Bamboo Shear Walls

Authors

Lily Tambunan, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia
Luis Felipe Lopez, Base Bahay Foundation, Inc.
Andry Widyowijatnoko, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia
Yulianto Sulistyo Nugroho, Universitas Indonesia

Abstract

This study is aimed to examine which configurations of mortar covering give the best fire protection for the composite bamboo shear wall system. The research is done in two stages, first is the non-standardized pre-test stage, which results will become the basis for determining the specimen specification. In the second stage, the specimen with the best fire resistance level is tested with standardized tests referred to as SNI 1741-2008 and ISO 834-1-1999. Fire resistance performance was measured according to integration and insulation level expressed in minutes. In the pre-testing stage, bamboo-wall configurations with flattened bamboo and mortar plaster on one-sided and two-sided are evaluated according to the burning time, and the highest temperature reached on the unexposed side. The pre-testing result shows that the chipped and cracked mortar conditions affect the high temperature of the specimen and the burning of the flattened bamboo, and vice versa. In the standardized test in the second stage, it was found that the specimen with one-sided mortar had an insulation and integration level of 30 minutes, while the specimen with two-sided mortar was 120 minutes. These results indicate that mortar condition and location affect the bamboo-plaster wall’s fire resistance performance.

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Kanya Kawayan Weaving Center in Batangas Built with Base Bahay’s Sustainable Construction Technology

In the fields of Nasugbu, Batangas, humble agricultural products are at the forefront of sustainable livelihood and architecture, thanks to the recent partnership of two like-minded social enterprises: Kanya Kawayan and Base Bahay. It’s a collaboration that will soon see the completion of the Kanya Kawayan Weaving Center— a space where Filipinos can celebrate the coming together of sugar cane and bamboo products, all with the aim of creating a more sustainable future for the country.

The 148-sq m Kanya Kawayan Weaving Center will house the organization’s production of artisanal creations, which help generate employment and alternative livelihood opportunities for around 40 wives and family members of the local farmers in the area. Kanya Kawayan transforms bagasse, a sugarcane residue, into a pioneering, eco-friendly, natural weaving fabric used for their products.

They are also one of Base Bahay’s bamboo supply and treatment partners.

“I am happy to attest that the foundations put by our partners today are strong and firmly established as they come. Base Bahay is a seasoned partner of ours and has, through the years, stayed the course on sustainability, come hell or high water,” says Beatriz Roxas, Kanya Kawayan president.

Using Base Bahay’s Cement Bamboo Frame Technology, which features bent bamboo poles that give the structure its curves, the Kanya Kawayan Weaving Center also uses ECOPlanet cement, which leaves 30 percent less carbon footprint compared to ordinary cement. The building is as resilient as it is sustainable; the structure is resistant to earthquakes, typhoons, fire, and insect infestations.

Thanks to its unique design, the center has received the honor of being the first project to use the ECOPlanet Cement in the Holcim Philippines, Inc.’s  Houses of Tomorrow, a project which finds and supports sustainable construction technologies through innovation and smart design, “to demonstrate that a low-carbon built environment is achievable and empowers people to live sustainably today.”

Base and Holcim are in discussions to develop a lifecycle analysis of structures such as the Kanya Kawayan Weaving Center to see how they contribute to the reduction of our carbon footprint compared to conventional structures.

The construction of the weaving center began in July 2022 and was completed in December 2022.

“We are happy to support like-minded partners like Kanya Kawayan and Holcim, as we have been brought together by a common innovation mindset – one that is focused on being environment-friendly and sustainable,” says Maricen Jalandoni, Base Bahay president. “We will soon open a structure within which all these technologies will finally be put into practice.”