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Bamboo Material Characterisation

Authors

David J A Trujillo, Coventry University
Luis Felipe López, Base Bahay Foundation Inc.

Abstract

This chapter serves to summarise the state of the art in the process of material characterisation of bamboo for structural purposes. It also seeks to outline the key characteristics a bamboo researcher or engineer would need to identify for this purpose. The morphological and anatomical characteristics of the bamboo culm are briefly presented. Trends observed by researchers in terms of the effects of density, age, and moisture content on strength and stiffness are presented, as well as the variation of these along the bamboo culm. The importance of considering geometrical in characterisation, as well as physical and mechanical properties, are discussed. Testing procedures and standards are presented to the reader and critically appraised. Published values for Guadua Angustifolia are reported for reference. A process of deriving design values from experimentally derived values is discussed. Suggestions for further research are presented.

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Sustainability of Social Housing in Asia: A Holistic Multi-Perspective Development Process for Bamboo-Based Construction in the Philippines

Authors

Corinna Salzer
Holger Wallbaum, Chalmers University of Technology
Luis Felipe López, Base Bahay Foundation Inc.
Jean Luc Kouyoumji

Abstract

This paper highlights the need for more inclusive and sustainable development of social housing in rapidly developing countries of Asia, Latin America, and Africa. In the example of the Philippines, a multi-perspective development process for a bamboo-based building system is developed. Sustainability Assessment Criteria are defined through literature review, field observations, and interviews with three stakeholder clusters: (1) Builders and users of traditional bamboo houses in the Philippines; (2) Stakeholders involved in using forest products for housing in other countries around the world; and (3) Stakeholders in the field of social housing in the Philippines. Through coding and sorting of data in qualitative content analysis, 15 sustainability assessment criteria are identified clustered into the dimensions of society, ecology, economy, governance, and technology. Guided by the sustainability criteria and four implementation strategies: (A) Research about and (B) Implementation of the building technology; (C) Participation and Capacity Building of Stakeholders; and (D) Sustainable Supply Chains, a strategic roadmap was created naming, in total, 28 action items. Through segmentation of the complex problem into these action items, the paper identifies one-dimensional methods leading to measurable, quantitative endpoints. In this way, qualitative stakeholder data is translated into quantitative methods, forming a pathway for a holistic assessment of the building technologies. A mid-point, multi-criteria, or pareto decision-making method comparing the 28 endpoints of the alternative to currently practiced conventional solutions is suggested as a subject for further research. This framework paper is a contribution to how sustainable building practices can become more inclusive, incorporating the building stock of low-income dwellers. It bridges the gap between the theoretical approach and practical applications of sustainability and underlines the strength of combining multi-dimensional development with stakeholder participation.

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