CONSTRUCTION USING BAMBOO

Situ Sainju
MSc. ENR
Kathmandu University

Construction using bamboo is not only environmentally friendly but a smart choice for efficiency. Any
homes or building units constructed out of bamboo or natural materials instead of man made can be
identified as “natural buildings”. One large reason that bamboo is classified as an environmental friendly
material is because of the incredible fast growing that these plants are known for. Thus, does not have a
detrimental effect on the worlds environment because it can be
grown almost as fast as it is cut down.

Many different bamboo construction techniques are available

when using this natural material. Examples such as homes,
porches, roofs, furniture, baskets, bicycles and pens have been
constructed using bamboo. Bamboo was given recent
consideration for use as reinforcement in soil-cement pavement
slabs in which the slabs behave inelastically even under light
loads.

SELECTION AND PREPARATION OF BAMBOO

The following factors should be considered in the selection of

bamboo culms (whole plants) for use as reinforcement in concrete
structures:

1. Use only bamboo showing a pronounced brown color. This will insure that the plant is at least
three years old.
2. Select the longest large diameter culms available.
3. Do not use whole culms of green, unseasoned bamboo.
4. Avoid bamboo cut in spring or early summer. These culms are generally weaker due to increased
fiber moisture content.

Preparation

Sizing: Splints (split culms) are generally more desirable than whole culms as reinforcement. Larger
culms should be split into splints approximately 3/4 inch wide. Whole culms less than 3/4 inch in
diameter can be used without splitting.

Seasoning: When possible, the bamboo should be cut and allowed to dry and season for three to four
weeks before using. The culms must be supported at regular spacing to reduce warping.

Bending: Bamboo can be permanently bent if heat, either dry or wet, is applied while applying pressure.
This procedure can be used for forming splints into C-shaped stirrups and for putting hooks on
reinforcement for additional anchorage.
Waterproof Coatings: When seasoned bamboo, either split or whole, is used as reinforcement, it should
receive a waterproof coating to reduce swelling when in contact with concrete. Without some type of
coating, bamboo will swell before the concrete has developed sufficient strength to prevent cracking and
the member may be damaged, especially if more than 4 percent bamboo is used. The type of coating will
depend on the materials available. A brush coat or dip coat of asphalt emulsion is preferable. Native latex,
coal tar, paint, dilute varnish, and water-glass (sodium silicate) are other suitable coatings. In any case,
only a thin coating should be applied; a thick coating will lubricate the surface and weaken the bond with
the concrete.

CONSTRUCTION PRINCIPLES

In general, techniques used in conventional reinforced concrete construction need not he changed when
bamboo is to be used for reinforcement.

Concrete Mix Proportions: The same mix designs can be used as would normally be used with steel
reinforced concrete. Concrete slump should be as low as workability will allow. Excess water causes
swelling of the bamboo. High early-strength cement is preferred to minimize cracks caused by swelling of
bamboo when seasoned bamboo cannot be waterproofed.

Placement of bamboo: Bamboo reinforcement should not be placed less than 1-1/2 inches from the face
of the concrete surface. When using whole culms, the top and bottom of the stems should be alternated in
every row and the nodes or collars, should be staggered. This will insure a fairly uniform cross section of
the bamboo throughout the length of the member, and the wedging effect obtained at the nodes will
materially increase the bond between concrete and bamboo.

The clear spacing between bamboo rods or splints should not be less than the maximum size aggregate
plus 1/4 inch. Reinforcement should be evenly spaced and lashed together on short sticks placed at right
angles to the main reinforcement. When more than one layer is required, the layers should also be tied
together. Ties should preferably be made with wire in important members. For secondary members, ties
can be made with vegetation strips.

Anchorage and Splicing of Reinforcements: Dowels in the footings for column and wall reinforcement
should be imbedded in the concrete to such a depth that the bond between bamboo and concrete will resist
the allowable tensile force in the dowel. This imbedded depth is approximately 10 times the diameter of
whole culms or 25 times the thickness of 3/4 inch wide splints. In many cases the footings will not be this
deep; therefore, the dowels will have to be bent into an L-shape. These dowels should be either hooked
around the footing reinforcement or tied securely to the reinforcement to insure complete anchorage. The
dowels should extend above the footings and be cut so that not more than 30 percent of the splices will
occur at the same height. All such splices should be overlapped at least 25 inches and be well tied.

Splicing reinforcement in any member should be overlapped at least 25 inches. Splices should never
occur in highly stressed areas and in no case should more than 30 percent of the reinforcement be spliced
in any one location.
PROTECTION OF BAMBOO : 

Protection of Bamboo Plantations In Nepal,

insect pests of standing bamboo were never
considered important. Some defoliators,
bamboo stem beetles ,weevil borers ,and sap
suckers have been occasionally observed
Defoliators can be controlled by spraying with
0.2% fenitrothion or 0.1% carbaryl in water
with a "sticker". Silvicultural controls work
better with weevils, while sap suckers can be
controlled by spraying kerosene oil in soap
emulsion or folian spray with 0.04%
dimacron/rogor or 0.2% fenitrothion. Dangers
from fungal attacks are low in plantations and
vigilance is necessary during normal
silvicultural practices in the event that some
protection/control is needed.

Treatments to Enhance Durability in Service : 

Treatments to Enhance Durability in Service Generally, the treatment of bamboo is divided into two
categories, (a) treatment of green bamboos and (b) treatment of dry bamboos.

Treatment of Fresh Bamboo : 

Treatment of Fresh Bamboo

Steeping:- Freshly cut culms
arc immediately placed upright
in containers of concentrated
solutions of water-borne
preservatives (5-10%).. The
butt end, up to 25 cm, is kept
immersed in the preservative
solution. Generally, drops of
preservative solutions are
observed at the nodes. The
treatment takes between 7 and
14 days, depending on the length of the culm. Losses in preservative solution in the container are made up
to maintain the initial level of solution. Bamboos can be satistactorily treated by this method without any
equipment and technical skill

Traditional (Non-Chemical) Methods of Protection : 

Traditional (Non-Chemical) Methods of Protection Controlling starch content in felled bamboos In

bamboos, soluble sugars are the principal nutrients for parasites. Thus, bamboos with depleted
carbohydrates become reasonably resistant to the attack of borers and staining fungi. Methods adopted for
lowering the sugar content in bamboos are: (i) Felling of bamboo during low-sugar content season:-Sugar
content in almost all plants varies with seasons. In Nepal, for example, it is higher in spring than in winter
.Therefore, it is advisable to harvest bamboos between August and December. (ii) Felling of bamboo at
maturity when sugar content is low:- Sugar content in bamboos varies with age. It is lowest during the
first year but felling of one-year-old bamboo is not desirable because of very low strength and yield.
Normally, bamboo matures at 3-4 years.

Why preserve bamboos?

Bamboos are a natural material and will decay with time. They are also susceptible to insect and fungal
attack. Preserving bamboos increases the durability of the culms and increases the lives of the products
they are used to produce. It also increases the safety of any structures in which they are used as load
bearing members. If used as structural components they need to be replaced less often which reduces
costs in the long term. Preserved bamboos fetch higher prices than non-preserved bamboos.

Some salient facts : 

Some salient facts Bamboo culms have a life of only 3 years once severed from the plant, and often much
less. The earliest preservation treatment for bamboo was soaking in water. This is still effective on a very
small scale and for a short time, but modern preservatives are more effective in the long term. As a
primary processing activity the preservation unit is ideally established as one of the central core units in a
broader, community-based, bamboo development programme, along with a bamboo splitting and
slivering unit and a bamboo propagation unit. Preservation of bamboo is an intermediate stage between
cultivation and final processing and requires good linkages to the final processors. Treated bamboo can be
sold for double the price of untreated bamboo.

REFERENCES
1. H. E. Glenn. "Bamboo reinforcement in portland cement concrete," Engineering Experiment Station,
Clemson Agricultural College, Clemson, South Carolina, Bulletin No. 4, May 1950.
2. S. R. Mehra and R. G. Ghosh. "Bamboo-reinforced soil-cement," Civil Engineering and Public Works
Review, Vol. 60, no. 711, October 1965; vol. 60, no. 712. November 1965.
3. "Concrete floors on ground," Portland Cement Association Concrete Information, ST-51.

Published in “The Civizoic”, Vol 1, June 2011 published by Khwopa Engineering College, Purbanchal
University