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BAMBOO BASED WALL PANELS FOR HOUSES IN BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA

Conference Paper · November 2004

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 Conferência Brasileira de Materiais e Tecnologias Não-
Convencionais: Habitações e Infra-Estrutura de Interesse Social
Brasil-NOCMAT 2004

Pirassununga, SP, Brasil, 29 de outubro – 3 de novembro, 2004

BAMBOO BASED WALL PANELS FOR HOUSES IN

BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA

Marilene G. SáRibeiro¹, M.Sc., Roland E. Vetter ², Dr., Ruy A. SáRibeiro³, Ph.D., Jadir S.
Rocha ², M.Sc., Tereza M. F. Bessa ², M.Sc., Cynthia L. F. Pontes ², Dipl.

¹ Research Architect, Forest Products Research Center, National Institute for Amazonian
Research (INPA), Manaus, AM, Brazil, mlene@inpa.gov.br
² Research Scientist, Forest Products Research Center, INPA, Manaus, Am, Brazil
³ Research Engineer, Engineering and Architecture Division, INPA, Manaus, AM, Brazil

ABSTRACT

An alternative house construction system using bamboo based wall panels was studied for
application in the Brazilian Amazonia. Wall panel structures were pre-fabricated with a wood
frame, whole bamboo culms placed as studs and bamboo strips on the outside. Wood and
treated bamboo elements were dried in a solar drying kiln. Concrete blocks were used for
foundation placing the wall panel at 20 cm above ground level. Earth of high clay content
from the construction site was mixed with bamboo chips and filled into the wall gaps. This
bamboo-clay mixture produced a lighter and more stable filling than regular clay soil
abundant in the region. After drying, usual plaster was applied to protect the wall. The
bamboo species used was Bambusa Vulgaris Shrader ex Wendland 1810 ‘Vittata’ grown on
the construction site in Central Amazonia. The use of this bamboo based wall panel using
earth filling from the construction site reduces the building costs when compared to traditional
constructions.

KEYWORDS: bamboo, wall panel, bamboo-clay, house, Amazonia.

INTRODUCTION

This work brings an alternative wall panel made of bamboo, wood and loam. Simple
construction methods are used to promote self help work to build houses for social inclusion.

Bamboo has a long tradition as a building material in the world’s tropical (with Brazil being
an exception) and sub-tropical regions. It is widely used for many forms of construction,
particularly housing in rural areas. It is a renewable resource with high strength and low
weight, and is easily worked using simple tools. Bamboo constructions are easy to build,
resilient to wind and even earthquake forces when given the correct detailing. Associated
products, such as bamboo based panels and bamboo reinforced concrete, also find
applications in the construction process. There are, however, some important considerations
which limit the use of bamboo as a universally applicable construction material:
 BAMBOO BASED WALL PANELS FOR HOUSES IN BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA

a) Durability – bamboo is subject to attack by fungi and insects. For this reason,
untreated bamboo structures are seen as temporary with no more than five years life
expectancy.
b) Jointing – although many traditional joint types exist, their structural efficiency is low.
Considerable research has been done to develop more effective joint methods, as
described by Herbert and Evans [1].
c) Flammability – bamboo structures do not behave well in fires, and the cost of
treatment, where available, is relatively high.
d) Lack of design guidance and codification – the engineering design of bamboo
structures has not yet been fully addressed.

Throughout most of Asia, bamboo traditionally has been a basic material for construction.
Available in abundance to rich and poor alike, it has been used in structures as varied as the
simple, all-bamboo tribal houses in the hills of Thailand to dramatic, saddleback roofs in
Sumatra, which incorporate both bamboo and wood, as noted by Bess [2]. In some regions of
the world, all-bamboo structures are simple buildings connoting poverty and impermanence.
In others, such buildings are a life-long dream. Current architectural and engineering research
is doing much to improve the quality (and therefore, the public acceptance) of bamboo
construction.

The housing deficit in Brazil surpasses 6.5 million residential units according to FJP [3]. In
the Northern region this deficit represents 411,625 units, with 53,100 for the state of
Amazonas [3]. Bamboo based wall panels can contribute to lower the construction cost of
houses. Thus, more residential units could be constructed and lower the housing deficit.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this research was to develop a bamboo based wall panel with good quality
and low cost to be used in the Brazilian Amazonia. The wall frame was completed with a
bamboo-clay infill to improve structural stability and insulation properties.

LITERATURE REVIEW

One of the most extensive uses of bamboo in construction is for walls and partitions, as noted
by Jayanetti and Follett [4]. The major elements of a bamboo wall (posts and beams)
generally constitute part of the structural framework. As such they are required to carry the
self-weight of the building and also loads imposed by the occupants, the weather and,
occasionally, earthquakes. To this end, efficient and adequate jointing is of primary
importance. Some examples of bamboo based wall panels used in parts of the world are
illustrated in Figures 1-4. The wall is completed with an infill between frame members. The
infill offers privacy, protects against rain, wind and animals, and provides in-plane bracing to
ensure an overall stability of the structure when subjected to horizontal forces. The forms of
infill are described by Jayanetti and Follett [4] as:

a) Whole or halved bamboo culms. The preferred orientation is vertical as this increases
the shear resistance of the wall, and provides better drying after rain. Vertical
members can be fixed back to beams by tying with or without facing battens (Figure
1). Halved culms can be fixed in the same way, either as a single or double ply

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 BAMBOO BASED WALL PANELS FOR HOUSES IN BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA

construction, or anchored between horizontal halved culms (Figure 2). Woven

bamboo mats can be attached to one or both faces using tied or nailed bamboo battens.
b) Split or flattened bamboo. Can be fixed vertically to intermediate bamboo members
tied to or mortised into the posts, or fixed horizontally directly to the posts. Boards
can be stretched or covered by wire mesh to provide a suitable surface for plastering.
Closely woven matting can also be applied to the board surface, with or without
plaster.
c) Bajareque. This is a type of construction commonly used in Latin America. It
consists of horizontal bamboo strips tied or nailed to both sides of the posts. The
cavity is then filled with mud or mud and stones, producing a relatively massive
construction (Figure 3).

FIGURE 1 – WALL OF WHOLE BAMBOO CULMS [5].

FIGURE 2 – WALL OF VERTICAL HALVED CULMS [6].

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 BAMBOO BASED WALL PANELS FOR HOUSES IN BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA

FIGURE 3 – BAJAREQUE WALL CONSTRUCTION [5].

d) Quincha (wattle, wattle and daub, lath and plaster). Common in parts of India, Peru
and Chile, the Quincha wall construction (Figure 4) comprises coarsely woven panels
of bamboo strips (vertical weft and horizontal warp) plastered on both sides.

FIGURE 4 – QUINCHA WALL CONSTRUCTION [7].

e) Woven bamboo. Coarsely woven panels similar to those for Quincha but with closer
wefts can be used with or without plaster (Figure 5). The plaster can be made from
any combination of mud, clay, and sand, stabilized with lime, cement and organic
fibers. The surface can be finished with a lime wash to give a typical stucco
appearance [8].

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 BAMBOO BASED WALL PANELS FOR HOUSES IN BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA

FIGURE 5 – WOVEN BAMBOO WALL CONSTRUCTION [7]

f) Bamboo panels. Panels have been developed specifically for use in walls and
partitions. They have the advantage of giving greater structural rigidity to the
construction. Bamboo has also been used as reinforcement for stabilized or rammed
mud walls, as noted by Mishra and Sanyal [9]. However, it is difficult to achieve an
adequate bond between the mud and bamboo to ensure composite action.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES

Sampling and Conditioning

The bamboo species Bambusa Vulgaris Shrader ex Wendland 1810 ‘Vittata’ was selected
based on abundance and accessibility in Central Amazonia. Three culms from one single
clump were collected from a plantation at the Brazilian National Institute for Amazonian
Research (INPA) in Manaus (latitude -3˚06’07”, longitude -60˚01’30”, altitude 93 m),
Amazonas. The culms were approximately three years old with 60-mm diameters.

Each culm was cut into six segments of 1.5 m long and labeled from “a” to “f”. Six strips of
bamboo with an average cross-section of 50 x 6 mm were cut from each segment and
identified with sequential numbers. Then, the strips were immersed in a treatment tank filled
with water. After eight weeks, the treated strips were set to dry in the solar kiln at INPA until
the equilibrium moisture content was reached.

Testing the Infill Soil

Earth used as a building material is often given different names. Scientifically referred to as
loam, it is a mixture of clay, silt (very fine sand), sand, and sometimes larger aggregates like
gravel or stones, as described by Minke [10]. When speaking of handmade unburned bricks,
the terms mud brick or adobe are usually employed. When speaking of compressed unburned
brick, the term soil block is used. When compacted within a formwork, it is called rammed
earth. The composition and varying properties of loam depend on the place where it is found.
Depending on which of the three components is dominant, we speak of a clayey, silty, or
sandy loam. In traditional soil mechanics, if the clay content is less than 15% by weight, the
soil is termed a lean clay soil. If it is more than 30% by weight, it is termed a rich clayey soil.
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 BAMBOO BASED WALL PANELS FOR HOUSES IN BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA

Components that form less than 5% of the total by weight are not mentioned while naming the
soils.

The analysis of the soil collected from the construction site at INPA-Campus2 revealed the
following composition: 65.70% clay, 24.21% silt, 6.68% coarse sand, 3.41% fine sand. Thus,
the soil used is classified as a rich clayey, silty, sandy soil. Because it is a clayey soil,
experimental tests were conducted to minimize shrinkage by adding bamboo chips. The test
was carried out by compaction of the regular soil and the bamboo-clay mixture (2/3 of
bamboo chips added to 1/3 of the moistened soil) in two separate compartments (40 x 40 x
400 mm) in a wooden box, as illustrated in Figure 6. The samples were left for drying on the
shade and were monitored daily. After one week there was no further crack development in
the samples. The regular soil sample shrank a total of 20 mm longitudinally, while the
bamboo-clay mixture showed only micro-cracks. This bamboo-clay mixture was selected for
use as an infill of the experimental wall panels.

FIGURE 6 – SHRINKAGE TEST FOR SOIL AND BAMBOO-CLAY.

Building the Wall Panels

A prototype bamboo based wall panel was fabricated and erected at INPA-Campus1 (Figure
7). The panel is 1.20 m wide by 2.50 m high by 70 mm thick and was built on top of a 1200
mm x 50 mm x 70 mm wood sill plate anchored to concrete blocks. The wall panel frame is
composed of 50 mm x 70 mm wood members dried to the equilibrium moisture content.
Three bamboo culms (dried to the equilibrium moisture content) are placed as studs within the
wood frame to give more rigidity to the system. Bamboo strips (treated and dried to the
equilibrium moisture content) evenly separated are nailed on both faces of the wall panel to
hold the plaster and providing additional rigidity to the structural system.

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 BAMBOO BASED WALL PANELS FOR HOUSES IN BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA

FIGURE 7 – BAMBOO BASED WALL PANEL.

In order to account for a rational infill material to be used within the frame, three
experimental 500 mm x 600 mm x 70 mm wall panels were fabricated for testing. Panel-1
received an infill of soil-cement (8 soil : 1 cement : 2 water, in volume) and was set to dry
(Figure 8). Panel-2 received an infill of bamboo-clay mixture (Figure 9) and was set to dry.
Then, plaster (1 cement : 1 clay : 5 sand, in volume) was applied to all surfaces of the wall for
protection and to give a monolithic appearance for both panels (Figures 8 and 9). Panel-3 was
filled and finished with plaster (1 cement : 3 sand, in volume) as illustrated in Figure 10.

FIGURE 8 – WALL PANEL-1 WITH INFILL OF SOIL-CEMENT AND FINISHED WITH PLASTER.

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 BAMBOO BASED WALL PANELS FOR HOUSES IN BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA

FIGURE 9 – WALL PANEL-2 WITH INFILL OF BAMBOO-CLAY AND FINISHED WITH PLASTER.

FIGURE 10 – WALL PANEL-3 FINISHED WITH PLASTER.

ANALYSIS AND RESULTS

After the total cure of the plaster, all the panels were measured and weighted to determine
their apparent density. The density of Panel-1 is 1,158 kg/m3, while Panel-2 is 1,071 kg/m3,
and Panel-3 is 1,889 kg/m3. Panel-2, the Modified Bajareque wall which used an infill of
bamboo-clay mixture, is the lightest one among the three panels tested. It dried well and
showed no cracks. A regular plastered brick wall (considering the average weight ratio of its
components) with dimensions similar to the Modified Bajareque has a calculated density of
1,823 kg/m3 – 70.21% heavier. Only the materials (brick, cement, sand, lime or clay) cost to
build a plastered brick wall in Manaus is US$ 4.04/m2. To construct the Modified Bajareque
wall one spends US$ 2.84/m2 with materials (bamboo, wood, clay, cement, sand). Thus, the
Modified Bajareque wall is 42.25% less expensive to build when compared to a conventional
brick wall in Manaus, based on this preliminary work. Further analysis will be addressed on
this ongoing research investigating the mechanical, thermal and durability properties of these
panels.

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 BAMBOO BASED WALL PANELS FOR HOUSES IN BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The main objective of this study, besides the introduction of bamboo as a viable construction
material in this region, was to find a suitable composition for a wall panel to attain service
conditions using unconventional cleaner techniques in the Brazilian Amazonia for social
inclusion. This technique can be used to expedite the construction process and to minimize
waste of the raw material. It is a clean construction where the structural frame of the
Modified Bajareque wall panel is pre-fabricated and taken to the construction site to be
erected on top of the foundation and to receive the infill of bamboo-clay and plastering. The
wall panel shall be taken to the construction site protected from rain. Immediately after
erection of the wall panels, roofing shall be provided with generous overhangs (800 mm or
more) for additional moisture protection.

The selection of Bambusa Vulgaris is viable for this technique. As the natural durability of
bamboo is very low and dependent on climatic conditions and nature of use, observations on
moisture content issues must be addressed. As moisture is constantly transferred from the
warm, moist side of building components to the colder, drier side, the present method gives
proper moisture protection to the wall building as a whole. A pitched roof and wide overhang
are very important in deflecting rain water away from the exterior wall. It minimizes the
effects of both rain and sun. Since the water flow over exposed areas is reduced, moisture
gradient fluctuations are lessened, thus resulting in less checking and less possibility of decay
[11].

The Modified Bajareque wall panel is an attempt to promote the rational use of the finite
resources with reduction of air pollution and environmental degradation. The environment
shall experience minimum impact with the use of bamboo for construction as a partial wood
substitute.

REFERENCES

1. Herbert MRM, Evans P. The development of structural connections for bamboo. N 143/79.
Building Research Establishment, Watford, UK, 1979.
2. Bess NM. Bamboo in Japan. 2001.
3. Fundação João Pinheiro. Déficit habitacional no Brasil 2000. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil,
2002.
4. Jayanetti DL, Follett PR. Bamboo in construction, an introduction. TRADA Technology
Limited. South Bucks Press, High Wycombe, Bucks, UK, 1998.
5. Janssen JJA. Building with bamboo, a handbook. Second edition. Intermediate Technology
Publications, 103/105 Southampton Row, London, UK, 1995.
6. Bandara DHMS. Possible uses of bamboo in low cost housing. National Building Research
Organisation, Sri Lanka, 1990.
7. Siopongco JO, Munander M. Technology manual on bamboo as a building material.
Prepared in cooperation with FPRDI Philippines and IHS Indonesia for UNIDO/UNDP
(DP/RAS/82/012), 1987.
8. Jagadeesh HN, Ganapathy PM. Traditional bamboo based wall/flooring systems in
buildings and research needs. Paper presented in the Fifth International Bamboo Workshop,
Bali (unpublished), 1995.
9. Mishra HN, Sanyal SN. Mature bamboo in mass housing. Bamboo in Asia and the Pacific.
2.12. Proceedings of the Fourth International Workshop, Chiangmai, Thailand. Technical

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Document GCP/RAS/134/ASB, FORSPA Publication 6. International Development Research

Center, UNFAO, United Nations Development Program, 1994.
10. Minke G. Earth construction handbook. WIT Press, Southampton, UK, 2003.
11. Sá Ribeiro MG. Designing for moisture effects in wooden houses. M.Sc. Professional
Paper, Department of Forest and Wood Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins,
Colorado, USA, 1987.

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