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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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Mechanical Performance of Treated Bambusa Blumeana (Bamboo) Fibers

Authors

Roneh Glenn De Guzman Libre Jr., De La Salle University
Michael Angelo Promentilla
Lessandro Estelito O. Garciano, De La Salle University
Bernardo Lejano
Andres Oreta, De La Salle University
Jason Ongpeng, De La Salle University
Ernesto Guades, Technical University of Denmark
Julius Leaño Jr
Audric Zuriel Cruz
Luis Felipe López, Base Bahay Foundation Inc.

Abstract

Natural fibers are being explored nowadays to provide the tensile strength needed in cementitious matrices. To give better bondage between the fibers and the matrices, surface enhancements for natural fibers can be induced through chemical treatments. In the current study, fibers are extracted from Bambusa Blumeana, an abundant local species of bamboo plant from the Philippines. Bamboo slats are pre-treated with varying concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 15% sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and extracted fibers are treated with 10% aluminum sulfate (Al2(SO4)3) solution. Extracted bamboo fibers are subjected to a Single Strand Tensile test. It is observed that bamboo slats submerged in 5% NaOH provides a better mean tensile peak load. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images show however that the fibers submerged in higher concentrations have developed rougher surface enhancements. The results can be used for developing bamboo fiber reinforced fly-ash-based geopolymer composites and with further studies, can be applied as textile reinforcement for structural strengthening or retrofitting.

Development of Load Tables for Design of Full-Culm Bamboo

Authors

Kent Harries, University of Pittsburgh
David J A Trujillo, Coventry University
Sebastian Kaminski, Arup
Luis Felipe López, Base Bahay Foundation Inc.

Abstract

Design aids in the form of load tables or span tables are well known to engineers and are commonly used in timber and steel design. Such tables reduce the need for repetitive calculation and allow for easy ‘what-if’ queries during design. They also permit rapid communication of minimum design requirements. This paper demonstrates an approach for developing design load tables for full culm bamboo elements for compression and flexure. The design tables are based on the provisions of ISO 22156:2021 and are most easily developed based upon an established grading procedure as described by ISO 19624:2018. Prior to the synthesis of these two standards, the generation of such load tables for bamboo was not practical. The development of archetypal column axial load tables and beam flexural span load tables is demonstrated. Examples of their use are illustrated demonstrating how alternate designs are easily established and compared. Such load tables are most appropriate for bespoke in-house design aides or as “national annexes” appended to ISO 22156:2021 upon its adoption by a jurisdiction.