Mechanical characterisation of structural laminated bamboo

Abstract

Low carbon construction materials are needed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the built environment. Laminated bamboo is an example of such a material. However, to be used in structural applications, fundamental mechanical properties are needed to establish the design values used in architecture and engineering practice. Recent studies on laminated bamboo have focused on the use of timber standards for small clear specimens, with little work published on structural-scale testing. The work presented in this paper is the first study to utilise structural-scale test methods for timber in a multi-laboratory test programme to investigate all mechanical properties of an outdoor laminated bamboo product. The study provides a comparison of the full-scale structural performance with conventional timber and a pathway for use in engineering design and practice. The work shows that laminated bamboo is comparable to conventional timber and timber-based products in structural properties and forms a foundation for the use of laminated bamboo in design and construction.