Affiliation:
1. Department of Wood Science and Thermal Techniques, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 38/42, 60-637 Poznan, Poland
Abstract
Bamboo is a plant with various applications. As a natural, renewable material that exhibits good mechanical performance, it seems to be an interesting alternative to wood, which has become a scarce and expensive commodity. However, comprehensive knowledge of its properties is necessary to maximise its potential for various industrial purposes. The swelling behaviour of bamboo is one of the features that has not yet been sufficiently investigated. Therefore, in this research, we aimed to measure and analyse the swelling pressure and kinetics of bamboo blocks. The results show that similar to wood, the swelling kinetics of bamboo depend on its density: the denser the tissue, the higher the maximum swelling value recorded. The maximum tangential swelling measured was about 5%–6%, which is lower than the value for the most commonly used wood species. Swelling pressure ranged from 1.16 MPa to 1.39 MPa, depending on the bamboo density: the denser the sample, the shorter the time required to reach maximum swelling pressure. Like in wood, the smallest linear increase in size due to swelling was observed in the longitudinal direction (0.71%). However, opposite to wood, more pronounced swelling was recorded in the radial direction (over 7%) than in the tangential direction (nearly 6%). The results show that bamboo’s swelling behaviour makes it a good material for use in variable humidity conditions, being more favourable than the unmodified wood of many species.
Reference53 articles.
1. The Global Distribution of Bamboos: Assessing Correlates of Introduction and Invasion;Canavan;AoB Plants,2017
2. Ahmad, Z., Ding, Y., and Shahzad, A. (2021). Biotechnological Advances in Bamboo: The “Green Gold” on the Earth, Springer.
3. An Overview of Bamboo Cultivation in Southern Italy;Lombardo;Adv. Bamboo Sci.,2022
4. European Bamboo Fibres for Composites Applications, Study on the Seasonal Influence;Depuydt;Ind. Crops Prod.,2019
5. Bamboo as a Valuable Resource and Its Utilisation in Historical and Modern-Day China;Dlamini;BioResources,2022