AAR 553

STRUCTURE THEORIES AND APPLICATION

STRUCTURAL MATERIALS (BAMBOO)

NO NAME STUDENT ID
1. MUHAMMAD FAIZ SOLIHIN BIN SULAIMAN 2015398813
2. MOHD SYAHMI BIN MOHD AZIZI 2015836094

TUTOR : MOHAMAD SOHAIMI BIN MAN

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

NO. CONTENT PAGES

1 INTRODUCTION
2 CONTENT : USES OF BAMBOO
3 SPECIES
4 JOINERY
5 BEAM SUPPORT
6 TREATMENT
7 FOUNDATION
8 SUPERSTRUCTURE
9 WALL
10 ROOF
11 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
12 CONCLUSIONS
13 REFERENCE

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 INTRODUCTION

Bamboo is woody and fast growing grass, which occurs naturally on every major continent except
Europe. There are almost 1200 species of bamboo in the world, distributed across 110 general.

Bamboo is grass, typically woody, and fast growing.

The bamboo plant has an extensive underground network, of which the singular feature is the rhizome.

Over the ground, a stem (or culm) arises from the rhizome. The culm is normally a hollow cylinder, tapering
towards its top.

An emerging culm is called a shoot. It is protected by sheaths that stay with the culm till it develops fully.

The growing rhizome is similarly protected by a sheath, which is however not normally visible since it is
below the ground.

Roots extend from the nodes of the rhizome and from that part of the culm which is closer to the soil
surface.

Most bamboos are monocarpic plants; they flower (and fruit) once in their lifetime and then die.

Bamboo is widely adopted by different culture for its versatility across the world. Use of bamboo evolve
with the different culture and community and it Is still evolving.

Fig.1. The Bamboo Plant Fig.2. The Components of Bamboo Plant

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USES OF BAMBOO

Bamboo is adopted for various use and many products developed over the centuries by different
cultures and communities. Unidirectional fiber fast growing and simultaneously high strength both in
tensile and compression makes this material versatile to be adapted in simple to complex forms and
designs. This quality of bamboo, given varied role in human cultural evolution than any other plant.

Fig.3. A Cutaway View of monpa Bamboo Suspancsion Bridge

Fig.4. Bullock Cart in Manipur, India.

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SPECIES
There are many common species that can be used in construction, including Bambus Bambusa bambos
and Dendrocalamus strictus,Bambusa balcooa, Bambusa tulda, Dendrocalamus asper and Dendrocalamus
hamiltonii.Bambusa bambos is easily recognized by its curving, spreading branches covered in spines,
usually in threes. Dendrodcalamus strictus is also a distinctive bamboo, being smaller in diameter and often
solid.

Fig.5. Bambusa bambos Fig.6. Dendrocalamus strictus

(spiny bamboo) (male bamboo)

Colour Bright shiny green when Pale blue-green when fresh,

fresh, yellow with age dull green to yellow with age
Height 15-30 m 8-16 m
Shape Curveing culms Curving culms above mid-height
Diameter 150 mm 25-80 mm
Internodes 200 - 400 mm 300 - 450 mm
Thickness Thick-walled Thick-walled, often solid

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Joinery of Bamboo

All the joinery in the structure is based on four types of lashing and three types of shear keys. The following
terminologies will describe the joinery.

SQUARE LASHING

Fig.7. Square lashing

Lashing: Lashing is used for joining two or more poles together with a tying material.
Wrap: A wrap is a turn around two or more poles.
Frap: A frap is turn made between two poles to pull the wrap together.
Dowel: Dowel is a pin (wood or bamboo with fibers in longitudinal direction) of 10 mm. Diameter
inserted right through the pole
Clove Hitch: Clove hitch lashing is used for joining two or more poles together with a tying
material.
Square Lashing: Square lashing shall begin and end in a clove hitch. It shall be used in a condition where
there is no tendency for poles to spring apart.

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DIAGONAL LASHING
Diagonal Lashing: The square lashing shall begin and end in a clove hitch. It shall be used in condition
where there is tendency for poles to spring apart.

Fig.8. Diagonal lashing

SHEAR LASHING
Shear Lashing: A shear lashing shall begin and end with a clove hitch. Two or more poles shall be first
wrapped and then frapped to tighten the poles together.

Fig.9. Shear lashing

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Fixing Horizontal And Vertical Members With Pins And Bolts

Fig.10. fixing the joining of bamboo

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Double And Quadruple Beams Support

Fig,11. Construction of beam of the bamboo

Fig.12. Example of single beam

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Bamboo Treatment
Bamboo has very little natural toxicity and therefore, is easily prone to fungi and insect attack. The
objective of treatment is to remove the starch and other carbohydrates (soluble sugars) that attract fungi
and insects and replace it with chemicals in the cells of the bamboo thereby increasing the life of the
bamboo. Well treated bamboo has a life expectancy of 50 years without losing its structural properties.
The efficiency of the chemical treatment is influenced by anatomical structure of the bamboo culm.

Chemical for Treatment

For treatment of Bamboo total chemical should be used at 5% of total desolve chemical.

Sodium Dichromate Copper Sulphate Boric Acid

Fig.13. Chemical substances for bamboo treatment

Fig.14.
Examples of chemical treatment
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Foundation and Plinth

The practice of putting bamboo post directly in the ground shall not be permitted. Bamboo posts shall be
fixed into the plinth.

Fig.15. Fixing bamboo into plinth

The distance between two pedestal footings/

Piles shall not be more than 2.0 m for bamboo
based superstructure.

Minimum diameter of bamboo posts at thinner

and shall not be less than 70 mm.

Unsupported height of the post shall not be more

than 3.0 m. if the height of the post is longer, a
horizintal tie of bamboo shall be provided.

Tar or Creosote treatment at the bottom of the

post is required that needs to be embedded in
the plinth.

A 300 mm deep and 100mm diameter hole shall be

made in the plinth beam and the foundation
pile/pier below to embeded and fix the bamboo
post. The post shall be erected in this hole and clean
Fig.16. Fixing detail of bamboo post sand shall be filled and compacted around the post
into plinth masonbry
in the hole. A shear key of split bamboo shall be
fixed through the plinth beam and the bamboo post

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Alternatively, the bamboo post can be fixed with bolts to the plinth. In this case, bolst shall
be embedded at appropriate places at the time of casting plinth beam .

Fig.17. Fixing detail of bamboo to plinth using bolted connection

Fig.18. Pile Foundation Detail Fig.19. Image of Pile Foundation

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Bamboo Superstructure

Bamboo as discussed earlier is prone to fungal and borer attack due to presence of
starch. This starch needs to be removed through chemical treatment to ensure
longevity of bamboo structures.
The distace between two posts shall not be more than 1.2m
centre to center

Far apart (Not disirable) Spacing at 1.2m (Disirable)

Fig.20. Recommended spacing between posts

Use only mature Bambusa Balcoa or equivelent variety of bmboo for structaral posts and main
beams.

All structural bamboo should be treated chemically to conform to IS 9096: 2006

The distace between two posts shall not be more than 1.2m centre to center

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Super structure

Diagonal Bracing
Diagonal bracing between the posts in each wall at the corners from plinth level end to attc
level end shall be provided. It shall be mirrored in the opposite corners of the wall.

Fig.21. Diagonal Bracing for Earthquake and Wind-resistance Fig.21. Diagonal bracing

Knee Bracing
Alternatively, knee bracing may be provided at each post to connect post and the attic level
beam.

Fig.22. Use of Knee Braces for Lateral load resistance

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WALL

Lattice shall be tied properly to the bamboo posts, the attic level or eave level beam de-
pending on the context.
The inside of the wall panel shall be mud/cement plastered while the outside will have to be
cement plastered.

Fig.23. Types of Bamboo Wall

Fig.24. Steps of Bamboo Wall Construction

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The wall shall be made using wattle and daub technique.

For latticework between the posts, any mature split bamboo shall be used.
Traditionally Bambusa Tulda is used mor often.

The bamboo strips shall be coarsely woven (vertical weft and horizontal warp). A
maximum of two bamboo splits can be used as warp or weft.

This bamboo shall be treated as per the IS 1902: 2006 recommendations for non-
structural bamboo

For lattice, Jafri (The woven mat of split bamboo) may be used. This provides skeleton for
daub work.

Fig.25. Detail Construction on Bamboo Wall Construction

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Wattle fixing detail to bamboo post

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ROOF
Attic Level Floor
In all bamboo houses, attic should be provided for use during floods. It shall be strong enough
to take live load alnog with dead load in flood conditions.
The attic height at the eave level shall be minimum 75cm and the clear story height below
attic shall be minimum 2.1 m.

Diagonal bracing or knee bracing in the posts above attic level shall be provided

Only mature Bambusa Balcoa or equivalent bamboo shall be used for beams.

For spans mor than 3m, the main beams shall be made by bundling at least 2 bamboo
(minimum 75 mm diameter) placed one on top the other and tied together with shear pins.
The bundled beams shall be tied at middle of each bamboo culms. For smaller spans, single
bamboo beams will suffice. These bamboo beams shall be placed on bundled posts as
explained earlier.

Bamboos (minimum 60 mm diameter) as secondary beams on main beams shall be placed at

distances of not more than 60 cm. Secondary beams shall be tied to main beams at each
junction.

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Attic Beams, Lattice Topping
& Column support

Additional bamboo should be bundled with the posts for Supportin gmain beam of the attic.
This bamboo shall be tied to the post at least at 3 places and will rest on the plinth beam.

Fig.26. Details of attic beams, lattice topping

and column support

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Roof

Houses with bamboo walls can have followings type of roofs.

CGI Sheet roof - hipped or Gable
Burnt clay tile roof - hipped or gable
The understructure for roofs can be made with bamboo or wood.
For roof understructure, Mature Bambusa Balcoa or Bambusa Tulda or equivalent bamboo
shall be used.

The spacing between principal rafters shall not be more than 60 cm in case of CGI sheet roofs:
In case of burnt clay tiles, it shall not be more than 30 cm.

The bottom most purlins at the end of roof overhang shall be tied to the eave level beam.

The slope of the roof shall be as per relevant IS codes. In case of urnt clay tile roofs, the slope
shall be minimum 300. Conventionally, sloping CGI roofs can range from 22.5 0 to 350 to avoid
suction (negative pressure) on roof covering during high speed winds.

The roof shall have on overhang of minimum 45 cm on all four sides

The end of the cantiliver portion of the rafter shall be lashed to the posts.

Fig.27. Bamboo roof construction details

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Pitched Roofs

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Examples

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pg. 23
Advantages and Disadvantages Of Using Bamboo

1. Bamboo is cheap, strong and easily One of the biggest disadvantages of

renewable. bamboo housing is the wear and tear that
comes with it. When bamboo gets heated,
it becomes soft making the structure
unstable.
2. Bamboo homes are visually very Fewer choices available to select from.
appealing

3. There are no knots in bamboo which More prone to fading as is easily damaged
makes it an easier wood to work with and by moisture.
you dont need special tools to cut it.

4. Bamboo is sheathed naturally in silica, Banks do not provide credit facilities for
which makes it durable. these homes due to lack of confidence.

5. It is naturally termite proof. Governments have not set any national

standards for bamboo homes.

6. Bamboo homes can also withstand The shipping charges to non-bamboo

earthquakes due to its light and favourably growing nations can be quite extensive,
elastic structure. making it more expensive than hardwood
flooring.

7. Bamboo requires only 1/50th the energy Bamboo flooring also does not float as well
for processing in comparison to steel. as regular wood flooring and may cause
some problems.

8. Bamboo is considered to be as strong as Bamboo grows like a weed and kills all the
wood and has great tensile strength. crops around it by absorbing all the natural
resources from the surrounding areas.

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 CONCLUSION

Since time immemorial, bamboo has played an important role in the development of
mankind. It is used for a wide range of day-to-day purposes, both as a woody material and as
food. It has been the backbone of much of the worlds rural life and will remain so as the
population increases. Bamboo will continue to play an important part in the development of
enterprises and the transformation of rural environments, in all regions of the developing
world where it grows.
On account of the enforcement of our natural forest protection project, wood is
becoming increasingly scarce. The realization that bamboo is the most potentially important
non-timber resource and fast-growing woody biomass, has evoked keen interest in the
processing, preservation, utilization and the promotion of bamboo as an alternative to wood.
The properties as top grade building material and increased availability of bamboo in our
country makes it possible to use, bamboo in the field of construction extensively. Its high
valued utilization not only promotes the economic development, but also saves forest
resources to protect our ecological environment as a wood substitute.
As an economic building material, bamboos rate of productivity and cycle of annual
harvest outstrips any other naturally growing resource, if today you plant three or four
structural bamboo plants, then in four or five years later you will have mature clumps, and in
eight years you will have enough mature material to build a comfortable, low cost house.

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 REFERENCES

1. Mani, Sujatha; A bamboo house; Indian Architects and Builders; Vol 17(02); Oct 2003; pp
44.
2. Manjunath, Neelam; The bamboo house, Journal of Indian Institute of Architects; Vol 69;
Issue 01; Jan 2004; pp 38.
3. Karamchandani, K.P., Role of bamboo as a construction material; Symposium on timber
and allied products; National Buildings Organization, New Delhi, 18 May 1959
4. http://www.nid.edu/activities/research-publications/ publications
5. http://www.inbar.int/publications/?did=71
6. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=v3riDLVen TQC&lpg=PA40&ots=MjJI6PKHM4&dq=bamb
oo%20building%20system&pg=PA61#v=onep age&q&f=false

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