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Engineered bamboo: State of the art

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 Construction Materials Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers
Construction Materials 168 April 2015 Issue CM2
Volume 168 Issue CM2 Pages 5767 http://dx.doi.org/10.1680/coma.14.00020
Engineered bamboo: state of the art Paper 1400020
Received 15/05/2014 Accepted 14/08/2014
Sharma, Gatoo, Bock, Mulligan and Ramage Published online 14/10/2014
Keywords: materials technology/sustainability/timber
structures

ice | proceedings ICE Publishing: All rights reserved

Engineered bamboo: state of the art

Bhavna Sharma PhD Maximilian Bock PhD
Research Associate, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge, Research Associate, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge,
Cambridge, UK Cambridge, UK
Ana Gatoo MSc Helen Mulligan PhD
Research Assistant, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge, Director, Cambridge Architectural Research Ltd, Cambridge, UK
Cambridge, UK Michael Ramage MArch
Senior Lecturer, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge,
Cambridge, UK

Bamboo is a rapidly renewable material that is available globally and comparable in strength to modern structural
materials. The widespread use of bamboo in construction is limited by the inherent variability in its geometric and
mechanical properties, and the lack of standardisation. Engineered bamboo aims to reduce the variability of the
natural material and is processed and manufactured into laminated composites. Although the composites have
mechanical properties similar to other structural materials, the products are currently limited to architectural
applications. A field of research on engineering bamboo is emerging with the aim to demonstrate and expand its use
to structural applications. To summarise the state of the art, a review of published research is presented with the
focus on two types of engineered bamboo: bamboo scrimber and laminated bamboo. The materials are compared
with structural timber and laminated veneer lumber to demonstrate the potential applications and practical use.

Notation fibres in the transverse direction. As a functionally graded

r density of material material, the fibre distribution increases from the inner culm
sc compressive stress parallel to grain wall, with the greatest density found on the external culm wall
st tensile stress parallel to grain (Figure 2). The material growth is rapid, growing to full height
t shear stress parallel to grain of up to 30 m within a year (Liese and Weiner, 1996), after
which the culm continues to gain strength, reaching the
optimal structural properties within 35 years, depending on
the species. Proper management of the plant is required to
1. Introduction maintain the production of the culms, as the culms that are not
Interest in bamboo for construction continues to grow as focus harvested will start to decay and will collapse in approximately
shifts towards reducing the environmental impact and embo- 10 years.
died energy of the built environment. Bamboo in its natural
form is a cylindrical pole, or culm, and is part of the grass
The rapid growth and renewability of bamboo are ideal
family. There are over 1200 species of bamboo worldwide, with
characteristics for use in construction; however, the material is
structural species varying by location. The different species can
used only marginally. The following review explores the
be generalised into three types of root systems, sympodial
development of engineered bamboo and aims to provide
(clumping), monopodial (running) bamboo, as shown in
background on the use of bamboo in structural applications
Figure 1, and amphipodial (clumping and running).
and emerging research on the development of engineered
bamboo products. Although this is a nascent field of research,
Bamboo is a rhizome in which shoots grow from the root base.
the following state-of-the-art review identifies areas for further
In sympodial bamboo, the bamboo culms grow in close
development that will provide a basis to advance this novel
proximity to each other to form a clump, whereas monopodial
material. Through review of published studies, we will identify
bamboo appears to consist of individual culms, although each
key areas where further research is needed to determine fully the
culm is part of an extensive root system in which individual
potential applications for engineered bamboo products.
shoots grow and the roots continue to extend if not controlled.
Amphipodial bamboo is a mixture of the two root bases. The
composition of the bamboo culm includes longitudinal fibres, 2. Bamboo in construction
aligned in the vertical direction of the bamboo, within a lignin Full culm bamboo construction is not extensively practised
matrix. At locations along the culm, called nodes, there are around the world, with primary uses of traditional bamboo

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 Construction Materials Engineered bamboo: state of
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Sharma, Gatoo, Bock, Mulligan and
Ramage

Bamboo plant

Culm wall
Inner skin

Nodal
Flower diaphragm

Leaf Outer skin

Internodal
Culm wall
spacing Types of bamboo

Node Branch
stub
1 2

Rhizome

Running bamboo Clumping bamboo

Figure 1. Bamboo plant, types and parts

construction found in Asia, Latin America and East Africa. In Muthukaruppan, 2008; Yu et al., 2003; 2005). Although
Colombia, Trujillo et al. (2013) noted five types of bamboo examples of bamboo construction continue to increase, the
structures: traditional construction, social housing, luxury extensive use of bamboo in the design and engineering of
housing, long-span buildings and footbridges. Additionally, conventional structures is limited by several factors. First, the
vehicle bridges have been constructed in Colombia (Stamm, natural material itself varies in geometry and material proper-
2002) and in China (Xiao et al., 2010). In Ethiopia, the ties, between species and within a species, and within a single
structural use of bamboo is part of traditional construction culm. Additionally, the material is round or elliptical in form,
methods and is used in the form of full culm and split bamboo which makes joints and connections difficult. Finally, design
with other materials (Kibwage et al., 2011). Other traditional and testing standards exist for full culm bamboo (ISO, 2004a,
structural uses of full culm bamboo include scaffolding in 2004b, 2004c), but the standards themselves do not fully
India, China and Hong Kong (Chung and Yu, 2002; provide the foundation from which builders, engineers and
architects can design with bamboo (Harries et al., 2013).
To overcome these limitations, development of engineered
bamboo products is increasingly explored for construction
purposes.

The advantage of engineered bamboo products is the ability to

create standard sections for members and connections, and to
reduce the variability within a single member. Bamboo in its
natural form is a light material that is comparable in strength
to steel in tension and concrete in compression, yet acceptance
is limited by the variance in cross-section and mechanical
properties. Although past studies have explored the design of
bamboo composites in relationship to efficiency (e.g. Beukers
Figure 2. Bamboo culm and wall thickness and Bergsma, 2004), the research focused on the use of
extracted short fibres rather than laminated sections of

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 Construction Materials Engineered bamboo: state of
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Sharma, Gatoo, Bock, Mulligan and
Ramage

bamboo. Growing interest in the design of engineered bamboo 3.1 Bamboo products
products is driven by the fact that the manufacturing process Laminated bamboo and bamboo scrimber are typically formed
eliminates the round cross-section by creating bundles or into boards for flooring and surface applications. Table 1
strips, which maintain the longitudinal fibres in a section that compares the mechanical properties of natural and commer-
can be laminated together to form a standard shape and size cially produced bamboo, as well as structural and laminated
used in construction (Paudel, 2008). The process allows timber products. The table is a compilation of experimental
production of standard sections with more uniform properties. studies and aims to show the potential of engineered bamboo
as a structural material; the table summarises commercially
produced bamboo board products and their basic material
3. Bamboo manufacturing
properties. The mechanical properties in tension and compres-
The production of bamboo products in China utilises the
sion for both board products are comparable to other
whole culm, with different sections used for various manu-
structural materials, yet the products themselves are limited
facturing processes. The use of the entire culm is highly
to architectural applications. The properties in bending of the
efficient, but within the individual manufacturing processes,
single-ply laminated boards have a modulus of rupture (MOR)
the material use efficiency decreases, although waste material is
and flexural modulus of elasticity (MOE) that are comparable
often used for energy (van der Lugt, 2008). Of particular
to the flexural properties of other structural materials.
interest is the use of bamboo culms for boards, which can be
easily compressed or laminated to form larger sections. The
3.2 Comparison to timber
process of manufacturing bamboo boards in China began in
Wood is an orthotropic material with varying mechanical
the 1970s and has increased in production through industria-
properties along the longitudinal, radial and tangential axes,
lisation of the manufacturing process (Ganapathy et al., 1999).
with strength and stiffness different in each direction. Also an
China leads in production and export of bamboo-based
orthotropic material, bamboo has varying strength and stiffness
products; export is mainly to Western countries and Japan
in the longitudinal, radial and tangential directions. Bamboos
(Lobovikov et al., 2007). The Chinese processes for manufac-
strength is found in the longitudinal direction through fibres
turing two bamboo-based products, bamboo scrimber and within a lignin matrix, which makes it strong in tension and
laminated bamboo, are shown in Figure 3. compression but weaker transverse to the fibre direction. Table 1
also includes mechanical properties for two types of wood
Bamboo scrimber, also known as strand-woven or parallel- products, timber and laminated veneer lumber (LVL), tested by
strand bamboo, is manufactured from crushed sections of the different standards. Lavers (2002) reports mechanical properties
bamboo culm, which are coated in a resin, compressed and for small clear specimens of Sitka spruce tested to ASTM D143:
then heated to cure the resin (Figure 3(a)). The term scrimber Standard test methods for small clear specimens of timber
originates from a timber-based product that was developed (ASTM, 2009) and BS 373 Methods of testing small clear
in Australia to utilise small-diameter material that maintained specimens of timber (BSI, 1957). Kretschmann et al. (1993) tested
the longitudinal direction of the fibres (Bowden, 2007). In LVL made with Douglas fir using ASTM D4761: Standard test
contrast, laminated bamboo is manufactured with strips of methods for mechanical properties of lumber and wood-base
bamboo that are processed to form rectangular sections, which structural material (ASTM, 2013), to obtain the bending and
are then laminated to form a board (Figure 3(b)). Comparison tension strength. As shown in Table 1, the mechanical properties
of the material input and output in the production of a product of Sitka spruce are less than the bamboo in compression and
can be described as the production efficiency. In timber, van shear, but comparable in tension and bending. Bamboo is
der Lugt (2008) estimates the efficiency of sawn timber as comparable in bending, but stronger in compression and tension
approximately 3040% of the original volume of logs, with the parallel to grain. Research indicates that bamboo scrimber and
remaining material accounted for in losses due to processing. laminated bamboo are comparable to structural timber and LVL
For bamboo, the production efficiency varies by manufacturer in bending and stiffness, but significantly stronger in tension and
and is approximately 80% for bamboo scrimber and 30% for compression. While the comparison to timber appears to be
laminated bamboo (van der Lugt, 2008). In comparison the straightforward, the use of bamboo board products for
material efficiency of glulam production in the USA is structural applications requires additional investigation to
approximately 82% (Puettmann and Wilson, 2006). Figure 3 understand the basic mechanical properties of the material and
details the manufacturing process and illustrates the difference the best way in which to utilise those properties.
between the two products, with bamboo scrimber, primarily
used in external applications, utilising the entire culm, whereas 4. Recent studies on engineered bamboo
the laminated bamboo, used in indoor flooring and surface products
applications, is based on multiple levels of selection to create The following review explores published studies on bamboo
the final product. scrimber and laminated bamboo. The authors acknowledge the

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 Construction Materials Engineered bamboo: state of
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Sharma, Gatoo, Bock, Mulligan and
Ramage

Scrimber
Rough
planning Sawing
15.0 (%) 5.0 (%)

Culm Split Preservation, Crushed, Scrimber

100.0(%) in caramelisation coated in resin, 80.0 (%)
strips and drying pressed,
cured

Discarded material
Split bamboo used for fuel

Cured
Caramelised Glued Compressed Scrimber

(a)

Laminated Chopsticks
bamboo 33.0 (%)

Rough Strip
planning Fine Strip
selection planning selection
Culm 20.0 (%) 5.0 (%) . Timming
100.0(%) 1 0 (%) .
3 0 (%)
Split 8.0 (%)
in strips Preservation, Laminated
Glued, pressed
caramelisation bamboo
30.0 (%)
Discarded material used for fuel

Cut Culms

Caramelised

Stacked,
glued, pressed

Split Planned Laminated

Boiled
bamboo
(b)

Figure 3. General processing efficiency and manufacturing process

for (a) bamboo scrimber and (b) laminated bamboo in China.
Material efficiency estimates based on van der Lugt (2008)

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 Construction Materials Engineered bamboo: state of
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Sharma, Gatoo, Bock, Mulligan and
Ramage

Shear stress:
Compression stress: MPa Tension stress: MPa MPa Flexural

Density: Parallel Perpendicular Parallel Perpendicular Parallel to MOR: MOE:

kg/m3 to grain to grain to grain to grain grain MPa GPa

Bamboo scrimbera 801 41 7 102 2

Laminated bamboob,c 577750 6364 20 102191 34 4 7888 112
Phyllostachys pubescensd 666 53 153 16 135
Sitka sprucee 383 36 9 67 8
Douglas fir LVLf 520 49 68 13

a
Plyboo (2013a).
b
Lamboo (2013).
c
Plyboo (2013b).
d
Ghavami and Marinho (2001).
e
Lavers (2002).
f
Kretschmann et al. (1993).

Table 1. Material properties for natural bamboo, commercially

produced bamboo and timber products

review is not all encompassing and have selected publications 2000; 2001), hammer (Mahdavi et al., 2012) to splitting of
that focus on investigation of the material and mechanical bamboo into strips which are then planed to size (see Figure 4).
properties rather than applications. A summary of the studies Comparison of the low-technology approach (manual methods
and selected data is presented in Table 2. with minimal mechanical processing) and the high-technology
approach (substantial processing and use of heat for lamina-
4.1 Test standards tion) are of particular interest. Studies have shown increased
The studies utilised test standards from around the world to mechanical processing requires additional energy inputs (Xiao
obtain mechanical properties, although all used an equivalent et al., 2013) and losses in material as illustrated in the
timber standard. The bamboo scrimber studies focused on the comparison of bamboo scrimber and laminated bamboo in
material properties for boards, with standards from Japan, Figure 3.
China and the USA used to characterise the material (Table 2).
Pereira and Faria (2009) investigated glue laminated bamboo Mahdavi et al. (2012) studied a low-cost method for laminated
made from Dendrocalamus giganteus, a species commonly found bamboo using Phyllostachys pubescens Mazel ex J. Houz. The
in Brazil, using Brazilian standards for wood. An increasing laminates were manufactured with culms that were split in half
number of recent publications utilise ASTM (2009) D143: and then hammered to replicate production of strips, which
Standard test methods for small clear specimens of timber were still integral to the culm. The method is similar to bamboo
(Correal et al., 2010; Mahdavi et al., 2012; Sinha et al., 2014; scrimber manufacturing in which the culm is split and crushed
Xiao et al., 2013). Testing and development of engineered maintaining the fibre direction (Huang et al., 2013; Zhou and
bamboo through timber standards will aid in the development Bian, 2014). High-technology processes include splitting and
and application of this novel material. Through creation of planing the bamboo into thin strips of bamboo that are glued
analogous testing and design methods, engineered bamboo has then heated and pressed to form the laminate. An example of
the potential to be a competitive alternative to timber. such processing is the trademarked material called GluBam,
which is used in the construction of bridges and housing in
4.2 Manufacturing method China (Xiao and Yang, 2012). Xiao et al. (2013) outlined the
Mahdavi et al. (2011) reviewed different methods used to process for creating GluBam, in which the beams are created
manufacture different types of bamboo products: scrimber, from bamboo sheets, which are composed of thin strips of
laminated and rolled bamboo. The studies presented in Table 2 Phyllostachys pubescens that are pressed together. The process
varied in the method used to obtain the base bamboo material creates a high-strength composite that reduces the influence
for the laminates from culms split in half and flattened by a of the fibre gradation, which can affect the mechanical
plate (Lee et al., 1998), roller flattening (Nugroho and Ando, performance.

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 Parallel to grain:

62
MPa
Laminate Glue rate: Initial MOR: MOE:
Study Species Test standard Adhesive method g/m2 MC: % r: kg/m3 sc st t MPa GPa

Bamboo scrimber
Nugroho and Ando P. pubescens Iso Hydraulic hot 812 600900 5479 67
Volume 168 Issue CM2
Construction Materials

(2000) Mazel press

Nugroho and Ando P. pubescens JIS A-5908, JIS R Cold pressed 300 8701010 6781 1012
(2001) Mazel Z-2113
Guan et al. (2012) M. baccifera GB/T 17657- PF Hot pressed 912 1240 266 15
1999
P. pubescens 1090 203 11
Huang et al. (2013) 62 138
Zhou and Bian ASTM D198-02 Hot pressed 12 89 13
(2014)
Laminated bamboo
Lee et al. (1998) P. pubescens ASTM D5456- R Hydraulic press 220420 1015 620660 7186 8
94, D198-94
Bansal and Prasad B. bambos BIS 1708-1986 UF, MUF, PF Hydraulic hot Brush 810 728796 123145 1217
(2004) press
Correal and Lopez G. angustifolia ICONTEC 775, PVA Hydraulic cold 68 36 9 82
(2008) Kunth 784, 785, 663 press
Correal et al. G.angustifolia ASTM D143-94 PRF, MUF, Hot press 260450 730 60 95 9 111
the art

Ramage

(2010) Kunth PRF-MUF

Sulastiningsih and G. apus ASTM D1037- TRF Cold pressed 170 12 710750 4956 3995 710
Nurwati (2009) G. robusta 93, JS-2003 and clamped
Pereira and Faria D. giganteus NBR 7190-97 PVA 66 144 99 14

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(2009)
Mahdavi et al. P. pubescens ASTM D143 PRF Mechanical 16 510 77 9
(2012) Mazel ex J. press
Engineered bamboo: state of

Houz
Sharma, Gatoo, Bock, Mulligan and

Sinha et al. (2014) ASTM D198, PRF Clamped 910 16 4270 2223
D905, D143
Xiao et al. (2013) P. pubescens ASTM D143-94 PF Hydraulic hot 15 800980 51 82 7 99 9
press

Adhesives: R, resorcinol; Iso, isocyanate; PF, phenol formaldehyde; UF, urea formaldehyde; MUF, melamine urea formaldehyde; PRF, phenol resorcinol formaldehyde;
TRF, tannin resorcinol formaldehyde; PVA, polyvinyl acetate.

Table 2. Summary of published studies on bamboo scrimber and

laminated bamboo
 Construction Materials Engineered bamboo: state of
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Sharma, Gatoo, Bock, Mulligan and
Ramage

4.3 Adhesives
Adhesives have an essential role in composites and must
Plate provide proper penetration and interface bond between the
flattened fibres and laminas. In the USA, structural wood adhesives are
Roller categorised for exterior, limited exterior and interior applica-
flattened tions (Frihart and Hunt, 2010). Commercial manufacturing of
bamboo scrimber primarily uses phenol formaldehyde owing
Split to its durability for exterior applications, and its low cost.
Commercial laminated bamboo is produced for interior uses
and utilises isocyanate for lamination. Bio-based resins, such as
soy-based resins (Plyboo, 2013c), are also of interest owing to
the formaldehyde-free formulation, although the additional
Figure 4. Methods for obtaining base material for laminated costs have limited their use commercially.
bamboo
Table 2 lists the types of adhesives used in the studies, which
are also used in wood composites. In the reviewed studies, a
variety of wood structural exterior adhesives were utilised,
Scrimber is manufactured by compression of the fibre bundles
including: resorcinol formaldehyde, isocyanate, phenol resor-
into a beam section. Although the fibre direction is maintained,
cinol formaldehyde, tannin resorcinol formaldehyde and
the gradation is not maintained with the bundles crushed to phenol formaldehyde (Frihart and Hunt, 2010). The only
form the section. In contrast, initial processing for laminated classified wood limited exterior adhesive explored in the
bamboo (Figure 3) removes the lowest density interior and bamboo studies was melamine urea formaldehyde, although
highest density exterior, however, a slight fibre gradation is polyurethane is also of interest because most formulations are
visually apparent in the strip. To explore the influence of the formaldehyde-free. Urea formaldehyde, a wood structural
density of the fibres within a composite, Nugroho and Ando interior adhesive, was studied as well as polyvinyl acetate,
(2001) created laminated bamboo from crushed mats of P. which is considered to be a non-structural wood interior
pubescens Mazel. The mats were created using split culms that adhesive (Frihart and Hunt, 2010).
were flattened to maintain the fibre direction. The crushed
mats were planed to remove the inner and outer surfaces as in Bansal and Prasad (2004) tested laminated bamboo made from
the processing of laminated bamboo strips (see Figure 3). The Bambusa bambos. The research explored three types of resins:
authors then varied the orientation of the inner and outer urea formaldehyde, melamine urea formaldehyde and phenol
surfaces of the crushed bamboo within the laminate. The study formaldehyde. Phenol formaldehyde and phenol resorcinol
indicated there was no significant difference in the orientation formaldehyde provide higher strengths in comparison to the
of the inner and outer fibres. other adhesives (Bansal and Prasad, 2004; Correal et al., 2010).
Current industrial practice utilises phenol formaldehyde for
Bidirectional composites orient fibres in the selected direction manufacturing of bamboo scrimber and laminates, although
to optimise the strength properties of the materials. Bansal and soy-based and formaldehyde-free adhesives are also used
Zoolagud (2002) reviewed the process of manufacturing (Plyboo, 2013c). Formaldehyde-free adhesives are of interest
bamboo mat board (BMB) in India utilising woven mats, owing to the associated human health impacts. Frihart and Hunt
dipped in phenolic formaldehyde resin, which are then pressed (2010) note that phenol, resorcinol and phenol resorcinol
together in various plies to form boards. The mats are formed formaldehydes do not release detectable amounts of formalde-
with split bamboo with the epidermal layer (assumed to be the hyde after production; however, the levels of free formaldehyde
inner layer) removed and then woven at a 45 angle. Xiao et al. in products is controlled by acceptable limits globally. The use of
(2013) also utilised a bidirectional composite by organising formaldehyde-based resins in some bamboo products continues
bamboo into longitudinal and transverse plies in GluBam. to be the current industry practice and cost-effective choice (Xiao
Xiao et al. noted a 4:1 ratio of longitudinal to transverse plies, et al., 2013). Further study is needed to determine an adhesive
with a comparable MOE and MOR to other laminated that performs well both structurally and environmentally.
bamboo studies. In comparison to a unidirectional bamboo
laminate, the added stiffness of the bidirectional composite is To achieve a good bond, the moisture content of the material is
advantageous for some applications. Nugroho and Ando essential. For interior applications of wood products in the
(2001) also noted that the orientation of the glue line USA, the average moisture content varies regionally between 6
influenced the mechanical properties, with the vertical glue and 11% (Frihart and Hunt, 2010). Owing to the hydrophilic
line achieving higher values in both the MOE and MOR. nature of the fibre, bamboo laminates are difficult to maintain

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 Construction Materials Engineered bamboo: state of
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Sharma, Gatoo, Bock, Mulligan and
Ramage

at low moisture content and oven drying the specimens is the would allow for better comparison between studies. Figure 5
preferred method before lamination. As noted in Table 2, the illustrates the general experimental set-up for the mechanical
studies varied in initial and test moisture content from 8 to tests parallel to grain based on small clear specimens from BS
16%. Lee et al. (1998) explored the impact of the initial 373 and ASTM D143.
moisture content on the strength of bamboo and found little to
no effect on the mechanical properties; however, the moisture Huang et al. (2013) was the only study on bamboo scrimber that
content affected the dimensional stability. Lee et al. (1998) also reported the compressive (sc 5 62 MPa) and tensile stress (st 5
found the glue spread rate impacted both mechanical and 138 MPa) parallel to grain. The tensile strength is similar to full
physical properties. culm bamboo (see Table 1), which is attributed to the main-
tenance of the longitudinal direction of the fibre. For laminated
The glue spread rate is often specified by the manufacturer and bamboo, the tension and compression properties are noted to be
several studies have explored varying the rate and the effect on similar to the bamboo scrimber (sc 5 3666 MPa, st 5 82
strength. Correal et al. (2010) explored the glue spread rate on 144 MPa). The properties for both products are similar to the
glue laminated Guadua (GLG). The results indicated that there properties of Sitka spruce and LVL in compression, but exceed
was little difference between the types of adhesives and the mid- the properties of LVL in tension (see Table 1). In shear parallel to
level spread rate was ideal, approximately 300 g/m2 for the wide grain, the laminated bamboo compares well to the bamboo board
face and 150 g/m2 for the narrow faces. The studies presented in and timber products with a reported range of shear stress between
Table 2 varied in the method of lamination (clamps or press), 9 and 16 MPa from the studies. The shear strength of bamboo
temperature (cold or heated), pressure and time. The different scrimber was not reported in the reviewed studies.
species of bamboo and methods of manufacturing led to a range
of product densities, with the bamboo scrimber ranging from
The bending MOR and MOE varied significantly in the studies
600 to 1240 kg/m3 and the laminated bamboo ranging from 510
for both the bamboo scrimber and laminated bamboo. In
to 980 kg/m3 (Table 2).
comparison to the Sitka spruce and LVL (Table 1), both the
bamboo scrimber (MOR 5 54266 MPa) and the laminated
4.4 Mechanical properties bamboo (MOR 5 39145 MPa) provided a greater flexural
As noted above, there is significant variation in the method of
strength, which is attributed to the natural flexibility and high
production for bamboo scrimber and laminated bamboo;
tensile strength of the bamboo. The modulus of elasticity for
however, the mechanical properties between the studies are not
both the bamboo scrimber (MOE 5 615 GPa) and laminated
orders of magnitude different from each other. Although the
bamboo (MOE 5 714 GPa), was within range of the Sitka
material properties are similar, standardised test methods
spruce and LVL (MOE 5 813 GPa, Table 1).

The reviewed studies demonstrate that bamboo products are

comparable to and in some cases outperform timber and glue
laminated timber in terms of mechanical properties. While the
studies show the potential of engineered bamboo, further
research is needed to fully characterise and standardise
products to develop viable alternatives to timber products.

(a) (b) (c) 5. Engineering selection: strength,

efficiency, cost and environmental
performance
The traditional method of selecting engineering materials is no
longer solely based on strength, efficiency and cost, but is now
supplemented by another criterion: environmental performance.
With interest in reducing their environmental impact, structural
materials are scrutinised in terms of source, manufacturing,
(d) construction, operation, maintenance and disposal. Additional
consideration must be given to the performance of the material,
Figure 5. Test methods to obtain mechanical properties in small not only in terms of structural capacity, but also in terms of the
clear specimens parallel to grain: (a) compression; (b) shear; environment. Bamboo in its natural form is a highly efficient
(c) tension; and (d) bending material. With these additional parameters under consideration,
bamboo quickly becomes a potential material for structural use.

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 Construction Materials Engineered bamboo: state of
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Sharma, Gatoo, Bock, Mulligan and
Ramage

The life-cycle analysis of structural bamboo is increasingly timber testing methods. With a consensus on the test methods
explored with studies focusing on the environmental impacts utilised to characterise bamboo materials, a knowledge base will
associated with full culm construction (Yu et al., 2011). Zea be formed to develop structural products, as well as the
Escamilla and Habert (2014) explored the environmental codification necessary to utilise these materials in the main-
impact of different bamboo-based products. The study showed stream market. In addition to the technical aspects of engineered
that engineered bamboo (glue laminated bamboo) has a higher bamboo, the environmental impacts associated with the
environmental impact than lower industrialised products, production of the products need to be explored. Research on
which is attributed to the higher level of processing and the various inputs and processes used to develop these novel
contributions from other inputs into the products. The authors products will provide a foundation on which to increase
also noted the differences in contribution of the electricity mix efficiency and reduce the associated impacts. With increased
to the environmental impacts, with China twice the environ- research and development engineered bamboo can serve as a
mental impact from electricity in comparison with Brazil and competitive and sustainable alternative to conventional struc-
Colombia (Zea Escamilla and Habert, 2014). An additional tural materials.
area of interest is the type of resin utilised in the manufacturing
process. Life-cycle inventories on wood resins are available Acknowledgements
(Puettmann and Wilson, 2006; Wilson, 2010); however, these The work presented is supported by EPRSC grant EP/K023403/1
studies focus on production in specific locations (USA) and, as and the Newton Trust, and forms part of a collaboration
with the electricity mix, the variability of production is between the University of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute
increased when the analysis is shifted to other parts of the of Technology (MIT) and University of British Columbia
world and uncertainty in the analysis is increased. (UBC).

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