Bamboo - Building Construction Material

 Since time immemorial, bamboo has played an important in the development of mankind. Bamboo is a natural composite material with a high strength-to-weight ratio, which is generally similar to strong softwood or hardwood. They are the fastest-growing plants, certain species growing up to 35 inches in 24 hours.

HISTORIC USE

The regions traditionally associated with the use of bamboo as a building material are South and East Asia, South Pacific and Central and South America. In China and India, bamboo was used to holding up simple suspension bridges by making cables of split bamboo or twisting whole culms of bamboo together. In Japanese architecture, it was used as supplemental and/or decorative elements like fencing, fountains, grates and gutters. To date, most high profile bamboo construction projects are in Vietnam, Bali, China and Columbia.

BAMBOO HOUSING

·       FOUNDATIONS

1.      Bamboo in-direct ground contact

2.      Bamboo on rock or perforated concrete footings

3.      Bamboo incorporated into concrete footings

4.      Composite bamboo/ concrete columns

5.     Bamboo piles

·       FLOORING

1.     Small bamboo culms

2.     Split bamboo

3.     Flattened bamboo

4.     Bamboo mats

5.     Bamboo plastic composites

·       WALLS - The different varieties are as follows:

• ROOFING - There are different types of joineries used in roofing techniques using bamboo.

 

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·       SCAFFOLDING - Due to the favourable relationship between load-bearing capacity and weight, bamboo is used as scaffolds in the buildings.

RESISTANCE TO EARTHQUAKES

·       Due to the high residual strength of bamboo to absorb shocks and impacts and the flexure coupled with its very low mass, bamboo is resistant to earthquakes.

·       A bamboo house withstood an earthquake that occurred at Sikkim measured 6.9 in September 2011.

·       30 houses at the epicentre of a 7.6 magnitude earthquake survived without any damage in Costa Rica in 1991.

ADVANTAGES OF BAMBOO AS A CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL

·       Strength – Bamboo is an extremely strong natural fibre, when cultivated, harvested and stored properly.

·       Flexibility – Bamboo is highly flexible and can be bent and used in arches and other curved structures.

·       Earthquake resistance – It has a great capacity for shock absorption, which makes it particularly useful in earthquake-prone areas.

·       Lightweight – As bamboo is lightweight, construction with it requires simple tools and is accomplished faster.

·       Cost-effective – It is economical, especially where it is cultivated and the transportation cost is also less.

·       Durability – It is long-lasting when harvested and maintained properly.

LIMITATIONS

·       Joining techniques – A number of traditional joineries exist, but their structural efficiency is low, thus considerable research is being done for the development of more effective methods.

·       Flammability – it is not fire-resistant, and the cost of treatment is quite high.

 

Bamboo has been the backbone of much of the world’s rural life and will remain so as the population increases. Due to the increase in interest towards bamboo as a building material, many architects and builders like Simon Velez, Marcelo Villegas, Oscar Hidalgo – Lopez, John Hardy etc. The high-value utilization of bamboo will not only promote economic development but also saves forest resources to protect our ecological environment as a wood substitute.