BAMBOO

Yashvi Morarka – ARC034

Anushree Chawhan – ARC061
 Properties of Bamboo
• Some species of Bamboo have ultimate
tensile strength, same as that of mild steel
at yield point.
• Versatile material because of its high
strength to weight ratio, easy workability
and availability.
• Capability of bamboo to resist fire is very
high and it can withstand temperature up
to 4000 C. This is due to the presence of
high value of silicate acid and water.
• Bamboo is widely preferred in
earthquake prone regions due to its
elastic features.
• Bamboos due to their low weight are
easily displaced or installed making it very
easier for transportation and construction.
• Unlike other building materials like
cement and asbestos, bamboo poses no
danger to health.
• They are cost effective and easy to use.
 Strength Properties of Bamboo
Specific Gravity 0.575 to 0.655
Average Weight 0.625 kg/m
Modulus of Rupture 610 to 1600 kg/cm^2
Modulus of Elasticity 1.5 to2 x10^5 kg/cm^2
Ultimate Compressive Stress 794 to 864 kg/cm^2
Safe Working Stress in Compression 105 kg/cm^2
Safe Working Stress in Tension 160 to 350 kg/cm^2
Safe Working Stress in Shear 115 to 180 kg/cm^2
Bond Stress 5.6 kg/cm^2
 Advantages & Disadvantages
Advantages
• Absorbs carbon dioxide and releases 35% more oxygen into the
atmosphere than hardwood trees. Also, no fertilizer, pesticides, or
herbicides are needed.
• Generates very little waste: after harvesting, virtually every part of the
plant is used to make a wide variety of products, from soil-enriching
mulch to furniture to chopsticks.
• Its fibers are stronger than wood fibers and much less likely to warp
from changing atmospheric conditions.
• Bamboo roots remain in place after harvesting where they prevent
erosion and help retain nutrients for the
• People prefer bamboo houses in rural tropical areas where the
temperature is high in summer
Disadvantages
• Requires preservation
• Shrinkage: Bamboo shrinks much greater than
any other type of timber especially when it loses
water.
• Durability : Bamboo should be sufficiently treated
against insect or fungus attack before being
utilized for building purposes.
• Jointing: Despite prevalence of various
techniques of jointing, structural reliability of
bamboo is questionable.
Availability in India

Species
 Availability in India
State wise Percentage of Area under Bamboo Plantation ( FSI,2011)
 Affordability
The most important fact about Bamboo
is that its low-cost without sacrificing
quality and durability. A 400 sq ft house
in a village, which costs Rs. 1.75 to Rs. 2
lakh with conventional materials, can be
built for Rs. 1.25 lakh if bamboo is used.
Furthermore, a bamboo house takes
very little time for assembly. This
becomes critical especially in times of
disaster management, providing quick
relief or rehabilitation.
Processing and Treatment
Engineered Bamboo vs. Regular Bamboo
 Harvesting of Bamboo
Bamboo used for construction
purposes must be harvested when the
culms reach their greatest strength
and when sugar levels in the sap are
at their lowest, as high sugar content
increases the ease and rate of pest
infestation.
 Harvesting Cycle of Bamboo
Life cycle of the culm
As each individual culm goes through a 5– to 7-year life cycle, culms are ideally
allowed to reach this level of maturity prior to full capacity harvesting. The
clearing out or thinning of culms, particularly older decaying culms, helps to
ensure adequate light and resources for new growth. Well-maintained clumps
may have a productivity three to four times that of an unharvested wild clump.
Consistent with the life cycle described above, bamboo is harvested from two
to three years through to five to seven years, depending on the species.
 Harvesting Cycle of Bamboo
Annual cycle
As all growth of new bamboo occurs during the wet season, disturbing the
clump during this phase will potentially damage the upcoming crop. Also
during this high rainfall period, sap levels are at their highest, and then
diminish towards the dry season. Picking immediately prior to the wet/growth
season may also damage new shoots. Hence, harvesting is best a few months
prior to the start of the wet season.
 Harvesting Cycle of Bamboo
Daily cycle
During the height of the day, photosynthesis is at its peak, producing the
highest levels of sugar in sap, making this the least ideal time of day to harvest.
Many traditional practitioners believe the best time to harvest is at dawn or
dusk on a waning moon.
 Reasons for Preservation
• As bamboo has less natural durability it requires chemical treatment for longer life.
• Bamboos have low natural durability (1 to 3 years) against attacks by fungi and insects.
• They are very difficult to be treated by normal preservative methods in dry condition
since their outer and to some extent inner membranes are impermeable to liquids.
• The treatment of bamboo is, therefore, best carried out in green conditions.
• The following slides show methods used for bamboo preservation as per IS 401-2001-
“code of practice for timber preservation” and IS 9096-1979-“code for practice for
preservation of bamboo for structural purposes”:
 Coal Tar Creosote
This is a fraction of coal tar distillate
with a boiling point range above 200°C
and is widely used admixed with fuel oil
in the ratio of 50:50. The fuel oil ensures
stability to creosote against evaporation
and bleeding from the treated bamboos.
Creosote has high performance; it is
non-corrosive and provides good
protection from termites.
 Copper Chrome Compositions
• Copper Chrome Arsenic Composition
A typical composition of this preservative comprises of copper sulphate, arsenic pentoxide and
sodium or potassium dichromate in proportion of 3: 1:4.        

• Copper Chrome Boric Composition

 A typical composition of the preservative comprises boric acid, copper sulphate and sodium or
potassium dichromate in the proportion of 1: 5: 3: 4.

• Copper Chrome Zinc Arsenic Composition

A typical composition of this preservative comprises 28 parts of arsenic acid 25 parts of sodium
arsenate, 17 parts of sodium dichromate and 30 parts of zinc sulphate.
 Other Preservative Methods
• Chromated Zinc Chloride
This consist of zinc-chloride and
sodium or potassium dichromate in the
ratio of 81.5: 18.5.

• Boric Acid Borax

This has been used successfully against
lyctus borers. A mixture of 2:5 percent
of each is found more suitable.
 Methods of Treatment
• Surface Application
This is done by brushing, spraying or
dipping of timber in preservative
solution for the required period.
• Soaking Process
The debarked timber is submerged in
the preservative solution for sufficient
period till the desired absorption is
obtained.
 Methods of Treatment
• Hot & Cold process
Timber is preserved in the solution and
then heated to temperature of about
900C and maintained at this temperature
for suitable period and then cooled until
required absorption is obtained.
 Methods of Treatment
• Boucherie Process
It makes use of water soluble
preservatives and hydraulic pressure.

• Pressure Process
It can be employed to any type of
preservative and is used where
maximum absorption of the preservative
is required.
 Bamboo Mat Composites
Through several technologies mat
based composites from bamboo have
been developed like
• Bamboo Mat Board (BMB)
• Bamboo Mat Veneer Composite
(BMVC)
• Bamboo Mat Corrugated Sheets
(BMCS).
 Bamboo Mat Composites
• The mat composites are manufactured by hot pressing the woven strips of bamboo.
• Thin bamboo strips called as “slivers” of width 0.6 to 1.0mm are manually woven into a
mat of different sizes and patterns of which herringbone is the most common pattern in
which the slivers are at an angle of 45 degree with respect to the edges of the mat.
• Then the mats are dipped in Phenol formaldehyde resin which is a chemical preservative
to enhance resistance against decay and termites, later they are dried and 2 to 5 mats are
assembled and hot pressed to the required thickness.
• For BMVC mats wood veneers are placed in-between the layers of bamboo mats. The
property of BMVC mainly depends on the properties of the inter-leaved wood veneers.
Bamboo as a Construction Material
How Bamboo is used in Reinforcements
 Bamboo Trusses
The bamboo has strength
comparable to that of teak and Sal.
An experiment with the construction
and testing of a 4m span truss made
of round bamboo and different
jointing techniques for web-chord
connections gave results that were
matching with the strength of timber.
 Bamboo Foundations
There is very limited use of bamboo as foundation material
because when in contact with moisture laden surface they
decay fast. However, this issue can be tackled to quite an
extent though proper treatment using appropriate chemicals.
• The various types of foundations constructed with
bamboo are:
• a) Bamboo which is in direct contact with ground
surface.
• b) Bamboo fixed to rock or preformed concrete footings

• c) Composite bamboo or concrete columns

• d) Bamboo piles
 Bamboo Roofs Skeleton
It consists of bamboo truss or rafters
over which solid bamboo purlins are
laid and lashed to the rafter by means
of G.I.wire. A mesh of halved
bamboo is made and is lashed to the
purlins to cover the roof.
 Bamboo Walling
Bamboo walls can be constructed in different modes
like
• Whole stem, halved or strips of bamboo can
nailed to one or both the sides of the bamboo
frame
• Split bamboo mats can be fastened to the bamboo
posts or mats can be woven, mud can also be
applied to both sides of such mats
• Bamboo strips nailed to bamboo frame or posts
for interior walling
• Cement or lime plastering can be done on the
mud covering for better appearance and hygiene.
 Bamboo Doors and Windows
Bamboo frames can replace timber
frames appropriate to function.
Bamboo mat shutters fixed to
bamboo frame or a panel of bamboo
board fixed to the frame which is
hinged to the wall can be used as
door. Small framed openings hinged
to the top in the wall can serve as
windows.
 Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo can be used as flooring
material due to its better wear and
tear resistance and its resilience
properties. Whole culms act as frame
work and the floor covering is done
using split bamboo, bamboo boards,
mats etc. by means of wire lashing
these to the frame.
 Scaffolding
Bamboo poles lashed together have
been used as scaffolding in high rise
structures due to their strength and
resilience. The timber planks can be
replaced with bamboo culms and
these can be lashed to the vertical
culms.
 Bamboo as a Reinforcement
• Bamboo has used for scaffolding works, formwork supporting stands and
many in building construction works. These are limited to medium-large
projects.
• Even though existence of bamboo has been found from centuries, bamboo
as reinforcement material is an innovation in the civil engineering
construction field. This innovation was based on Clemson’s study that has
been conducted in the Clemson Agricultural College.
 Significance of Bamboo Reinforced Concrete

• The tensile strength property which is the

main requirement of a reinforcing
material is seen appreciable for bamboo,
compared with other materials including
steel. The structure of bamboo from its
origin gives this property.
• The hollow tubular structure has high
resistance against wind forces when it is
in natural habitat. Working on the weak
points of bamboo and bringing up an
innovation of bamboo as a structural
steel replacement, would be a great
alternative.
 Selection of Bamboo for Reinforced Concrete
Construction
Selection of bamboo for reinforcement can be done based on these factors
• Color and Age – Employ bamboo having an evident brown color. This shows the
age of bamboo to be at least 3 years.
• Diameter – Use the one with long large culms
• Harvesting – Try to avoid those bamboos that are cut either during spring or
summer seasons.
• Species – Among 1500 species of bamboo, the best one must checked, tested to
satisfy the requirement as a reinforcing material.
 Material Properties
• The bamboo has a structure of a composite material with cellulose fibers
aligned across the length. It has high thick fibers near to the outer length of
the bamboo, which is the main reason why they resist huge wind forces.
• Water Absorption Property of Bamboo
• Bamboo Strength towards Bonding
• Durability of Bamboo Material
 Concrete Mix Proportions
• Water-cement ratio plays an important role in strength and durability of reinforced
concrete. Bamboo being a natural building material has the property of absorbing
water as discussed earlier. The absorption of water causes swelling of bamboo.
• Thus, concrete mix proportion for bamboo reinforced concrete must have water-
cement ratio as low as possible. It should also be considered to use concrete with
high early-strength cement to minimize cracks caused by swelling of bamboo.
• The mix design of concrete can be as per the strength requirement for structure, as
per structural design. Since use of reinforcement has no effect on compressive
strength requirement of concrete, bamboo reinforced concrete mix proportion can
be same as steel reinforced concrete mix design.
 Case Studies
Ongoing and Upcoming Projects
Bamboo Yurt
Bamboo U
 General Information
• Tradition and innovation
• Following the practice of ancient
Mongolian yurts.
• Fold like an umbrella and can be
deployed in an instant.
• First retractable yurt prototype
 Construction Technique
The yurt’s frame is made from a
bamboo of the Phyllostachys species,
locally in Bali referred to as Bambu
Jajang. It has an average diameter of 5
centimeters and 8 meters of usable
length. It was pre-assembled on the
ground using a parametrically designed
metal jig. By increasing the spacing
between each intersection, the
structure’s partition was given a slight
inclination, creating a beautiful profile.
 Construction Technique
Triangulation is introduced through a
recycled bicycle wheel at the top of a
reciprocal hyperbolic roof, and a rope
interlaced at the junction of the
partition and the roof. The entire
frame opens freely until the rope
reaches a tensile state. Variations of
its length allow for adaptation of the
yurt’s profile.
How it Works
Mexico Social Housing
Communal Taller de Arquitectura
 Concept
• Prototype for social housing in a
mountain town, using a
prefabricated bamboo frame that
residents can use to replicate the
structure in just seven days.
• Cuetzalan del Progreso – a town in
the south-central state of Puebla
The prefabricated bamboo structure that forms the 60-square-metre residence was assembled on site in under a week,
with the help of locals to reduce costs. It is hoped that teams of residents could learn to build replicas themselves.
 Construction Techniques
• The walls comprise bamboo panels coated
with a local tissue known as ixtle,
commonly used to make coffee sacks, and
then mortar. These slot on top of
breezeblock bases.’
• Window shutters and doors inside the
residence are also made of bamboo, while
grey paving covers the floor both inside
and outside.
 Construction Techniques
• Exposed bamboo trusses and
beams rest above the walls to form
a mono-pitched roof, which is
topped by an undulated, rough
grey material. It overhangs at the
front to cover two porches that
face the nearby road.
Planning
Views
 Sanskriti
Sanjay Puri Architects
 Basic Information
• City: Khardi
• Client: Tanash Environments
• Completion Date: 06/2017
• Gross Floor Area: (mq)490
• Cost: 98485 USD
• Architects: Sanjay Puri Architects
• Design team: Sanjay Puri, Omkar
Rane
 Construction Principle
Thatch roofing over Bamboo
framing, supported on load bearing
masonry walls made from locally
sourced Basalt stone. Thatch treated
in Chromium Copper Bromate forms
the main roof acting as an insulation
in response to the hot climate.
 Material Ideology
The design is to be constructed entirely from locally available grey basalt stone
& bamboo, the health center is designed in a manner that facilitates natural
ventilation & natural light In response to the climate with temperatures in
excess of 35⁰ C through 8 months of the year the fluid organic spaces open
towards the north creating a focal view of an existing pond on the northern
side. The entire roof will be supported by thicker bamboos arched to
curvatures based on the design with a close grid of bamboos framing the
secondary support system.
Sustainability in Materials

Materials Used:
• Thatch
• Bitumen Sheet
• Bamboo Sheets and Purlins
• Stone
Sanskriti
Site Section
Sharma Springs
IBUKU
 General Information
• Location: Sibang Gede, Bali
• Client: Individual
• Site Area: 2602 sqm
• Floor Area: 750 sqm
• Construction: 12 months from
December 2011- December 2012
• Completion Date: December 2012
Exterior Views
 General Information
• Sharma Springs was designed for the
Sharma family as a jungle fantasy
escape. It is a 6-level, 4-bedroom
750sqm home overlooking the Ayung
river valley, built almost entirely of
bamboo. The entry to the house is via
a dramatic tunnel-bridge that brings
you directly to the open-air living,
dining, and kitchen spaces on the 4th
level.
Views
 Circulation
• The staircases circle around the
central tower to the levels below:
kids play room, as well as four
bedrooms and a library that each
enclose for air-conditioning with
full length spinning glass windows.
The 6th-floor lookout has sunset
views over the Ayung river valley
and Green Village.
 Interiors
• Master metal smiths custom-built
the shower stalls, stone carvers
from Java carved boulders into
counter slabs. Their team also
custom designed each item of the
furniture for this house. The
gardens are also by IBUKU, based
on permaculture design principles.
The Millennium Bridge
IBUKU
 General Information
• Architects: IBUKU
• Location: Sibang Kaja, Abiansemal,
Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia
• Area: 70.0 m2
• Project Year: 2011
• Client: Green School
• Site Area: 45.000 m2
• Build Time: 8 months
 "Millennium Bridge" is one of the longest bamboo bridge in Asia, with a length of 23 meters and an impressive roof
inspired by the Minangkabau architecture, following the shape of a buffalo horn. It is built in a mix of blond and black
bamboo species.
It's very rare to get the chance to build a bridge from bamboo, and it is a proof that you can build anything with it.
This bridge is a way to promote construction with bamboo around the world. It's a constructed testimony of its
strength', says Defit Wijaya, Senior Architect at IBUKU.
Thank You.