BAMBOO

CONSTRUCTION

By deepanker

INTRODUCTION
Bamboo has been in wide usage since ancient times
as a low-cost material for houses, bridges etc.
Recently started appearing in designer homes as
flooring, walling and paneling material
Is viewed as a material preferred only by the poor or
for temporary constructions
Unpopular in conventional construction due to low
durability, lack of structural design data, exclusion
from building codes etc.

Facts about bamboo

Bamboo is a perennial grass
and not a tree as is commonly
perceived.
1450 species are found in
diverse climates across the
world, however, not all of
these
are
suitable
for
construction.
One of the fastest growing
plants on Earth. Its growth
rate ranges from 30cm to 1 m
in 24 hours.
The strongest part of a
bamboo stalk is its node,
where branching occurs.
Bamboo has also long been
used
as
scaffolding;
the
practice has been banned in

advantages
Strength - Bamboo is an
extremelystrongnatural
fibre,
on
par
with
standard
hardwoods,
when
cultivated,
harvested, prepared and
stored properly.
Flexibility - Bamboo is
highly flexible.During its
growth, it may be trained
to
grow
in
unconventional
shapes.
After harvest, it may be
bent
and
utilized
in
archways
and
other
curved areas.
Earthquake-resistance It has a great capacity

advantages
Lightweight - Bamboo is extremelylightweight.
Consequently, building with bamboo can be
accomplished faster with simple tools than building
with other materials. Cranes and other heavy
machinery are rarely required.
Cost-effective Economical, especially in areas
where it is cultivated and is readily available.
Transporting cost is also much lesser.
Durability - Aslong-lastingas its wooden correlates,
when properly harvested and maintained.

How to protect bamboo

UNTREATED BAMBOO
Untreated
bamboo
has the
following life spans in different
conditions
>
Exposure
to
soil
and
atmosphere = 1-3 years
> Under cover = 4-7 years
> Very favourable conditions =
10-15 years
Natural durability also depends
on the species of the bamboo

How to protect bamboo

BORAX BORIC ACID PRESERVATION
TREATMENT

Depending on the
diameter of the
bamboo, different
sized drill bits,
attached to a long
steel
rod,
are
used to drill into
the
centre
of
thebamboo
culmsthroughout
their
whole

At
the
preservation
treatment
pool,
bamboo soaks in
borax-boric acid
solution
(1:1.4)for 2 days
to
allow
the
mineral
to
penetrate all the
nodes
and

Bamboo
is
removed
and
stacked
vertically
so
the
solution
can drain and
be reused.

How to protect bamboo

BORAX BORIC ACID PRESERVATION
TREATMENT

Next,
thebamboo
polesare left
to bask in the
sun
depending on
the amount of

The bamboo
poles are left
to dry slowly
in a cool, dry
place
until
they are used
for

Preservative
solution
is recharged after four
cycles by adding water
and
the
chemicals.
Preservation treatment
costs
a
minimum
charge of INR 4.50 per

How to protect bamboo

During the casting and
curing
of
concrete,
reinforcing
bamboo
absorbs
water
and
expands
The swelling of bamboo
pushes the concrete away
Then at the end of the
curing period, the bamboo
loses the moisture and
shrinks
back almost
to its
The swelling and shrinkage
of bamboo
in concrete
original
dimensions
leaving
create a serious limitation in
the use
of bamboo
as a
voids around itself
substitute for steel in concrete.
One effective treatment is the application of a thin
layer of epoxy to the bamboo surface followed by a

How to protect bamboo

NEEM SEED OIL TREATMENT
Oil obtained from neem seeds can be used to improve
water resistance and dimensional stability of bamboo
culms particularly at high oil-treatment temperature.
Bamboo samples soaked in hot neem seed oil at 60C
for 4 hours had better water resistance and dimensional
stability than samples soaked in oil at room temperature
for 24 hours.

Bamboo foundations
COMPOSITE BAMBOO-CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS

Single Post
Footing

Strip
Footing

Bamboo foundations
BAMBOO PILES
Bamboo compacts
soft
soil,
thus
increasing the bearing
capacity of soil.
The friction provided
by the constructiongrade
bamboo
increases
its
loadbearing capacity.
Treated split bamboo
piles 8m long and 80
to 90mm in diameter
were
filled
with
coconut coir strands
wrapped with jute.

A
sustainable
house
in
Thiruvananthapuram,
Kerala
where bamboo piles have been
used
as
foundation
.
The
foundation
is
further
strengthened
by
bamboo
reinforced concrete.

Bamboo foundations
BAMBOO PILES

The
sections were
then tied with
galvanised
iron
wire.
After
installation of
the
piles
@2m c/c by
drop hammer,
the area is
covered with
a
2.5m
surcharge of
sandy
material.

Bamboo WALLS

WOVEN
BAMBOO
WALL

WHOLE
BAMBOO
CULMS

VERTICAL
HALVED
CULMS

BAJAREQUE

WATTLE AND
DAUB

RESISTANCE TO EARTHQUAKES
High residual strength to
absorb shocks and impacts.
Flexure coupled with its
very low mass.

Prototype house built with

bamboo sheet roofing and
bamboo-reinforced concrete
walls withstood a simulated
earthquake measuring 7.8
on the Richter scale

A bamboo house in
Bhutan that withstood
an
earthquake
that
occurred
at
Sikkim
(epicenter)
measuring
6.9 in September 2011
30 houses at the
epicenter
of
a
7.6
magnitude
earthquake

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
Property

Value

Density

0.5 0.9 gm/cc

Compressive Strength

53 100 MPa

Tensile Strength

111 219 MPa

Bending Strength

86 229 MPa

Bending Elasticity

6882 20890 MPa

bamboo column AND BEAM

Bamboo Reinforced Column

Bamboo Beams

Comparative analysis

1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
Rate of construction per sq.foot in INR

Concr
ete

Comparative analysis
Energy consumption during construction
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

Limitations and drawbacks

Few considerations currently limit the use of bamboo

as a universally applicable construction material
Jointing techniques - Although many traditional joint
types exist, their structural efficiency is low.
Considerable research has been directed at the
development of more effective methods.
Flammability Bamboo structures are not fireresistant, and the cost of treatment, where
available, is relatively high.
Lack of design guidance and codification The
engineering design of bamboo structures has not yet
been fully addressed. There is little or no data
containing specifications of bamboo.

Species of bamboos (preferable

for construction) in india

Bambusa nutans
Dendrocalamus brandisii
Oxytenanthera stocksii
Melocanna bambusoides
Dendrocalamus strictus
Dendrocalamus hamiltonii
Dendrocalamus giganteus
Bambusa bambos
Bambusa polymorpha
Bambusa balcooa

Bambusa nutans

Local names
Bidhuli, Mukia ASSAM . Malla UTTAR PRADESH . Mallo, Mahi
bans SIKKIM: LEPCHA . Badia bansa ORISSA . Kali, Beng,
Makla TRIPURA
Habitat & distribution
Grows best at altitudes of between 500-1500 m. Thrives on
moist hill slopes and flat uplands, and well-drained sandy
loam to clayey loam soils. Commonly found and cultivated in
the North East, Orissa and Bengal.
Culm
The culm is up to 20 m tall, dark green, loosely clumped,
straight and smooth.
Flowering
Flowers gregariously at an interval of 35 years. Sporadic
flowering is also observed.
Uses
House construction, basketry and craft.

Dendrocalamus brandisii

Local names
Bulka BENGAL . Wanan MANIPUR
Habitat & distribution
Primarily found in tropical forests.
Found in the Jiribam area of Manipur. Introduced into Coorg
(Karnataka).
Culm
The culm is up to 20 m tall, ashy grey to greenish-grey, and
smooth.
Flowering
Gregarious and sporadic.
Uses
House construction and basketry, and to make han

Oxytenanthera stocksii

Local names
Konda, Oor-shema KARNATAKA . Uyi, Mula KERALA . Chivari,
Mes MAHARASHTRA .
Habitat & distribution
Typically grows from sea level to altitudes of 800 m. Confined
and endemic to southernpeninsular India.
Culm
The culm up to 10 m tall, straight at the top, yellowish
green, erect.
Flowering
Sporadic.
Uses
Suited for construction purposes. Also used for making
furniture, ladders and supports.

Melocanna bambusoides
Local names
Mautak MIZORAM . Tarai ASSAM: BRAHMAPUTRA VALLEY .
Arten ASSAM: KARBI-ANGLONG . Muli BENGAL, TRIPURA,
ASSAM: BARAK VALLEY . Watrai MEGHALAYA: GARO HILLS .
Moubi MANIPUR .Turiah NAGALAND
Habitat & distribution
Found chiefly in the north - eastern part of the country. It
grows best on low hills and in undulating countryside.
Culm
Culms arise singly from the rhizome at a distance.
Flowering
Gregarious. Flowering cycle is about 40-44years.
Uses
Used in the construction of houses and for making woven
products. An important source for paper pulp.

Dendrocalamus strictus

Local names
Lathi bans NORTH AND CENTRAL INDIA . Kanka kara,
Sandapa veduru ANDHRA PRADESH . Karal BENGAL . Nakur
bans, Kiri bidiru GUJARAT . Kallanmula, Kurathimula, Korna
KERALA . Narvel MAHARASHTRA . Salia ORISSA . Kalmungil
TAMIL NADU
Habitat & distribution
Found normally at altitudes up to 1000 m, in dry, open
deciduous forests. Widely distributed, it is the most
common bamboo in India.
Culm
The culm is up to 10 m tall, erect but slightly arched at the
top.
Flowering
Flowering intervals are long (25-45 years).
Uses

Dendrocalamus hamiltonii

Local names
Kako ASSAM . Fonay ASSAM: KARBI-ANGLONG . Pecha WEST
BENGAL . Tama WEST BENGAL: DARJEELING . Unep MANIPUR .
Wanoke MEGHALAYA: GARO HILLS . Pao SIKKIM: LEPCHA .
Phulrua MIZORAM

Habitat & distribution

Occurs in fine-textured soil in semi-evergreen forests. Grows
abundantly and well in the North East and Himachal Pradesh.
Culm
The culm is large, up to 30 m tall, dull green.
Flowering
The flowering cycle is 30-40 years. commonly and periodically
Uses
Used as edible shoot, for roofing and construction purposes.

Dendrocalamus giganteus

Local names
Maipo ARUNACHAL PRADESH: KHAMTI , Worra ASSAM
,Maroobob MANIPUR, Bhalo bans SIKKIM
Habitat & distribution
Grows well in humid tropical and sub-tropical regions, in the
North East, West Bengal and Bihar.
Culm
The culm is large, up to 30 m tall, dull green, with a waxy
appearance
Flowering
Sporadic. The flowering cycle is 40 years.
Uses
Used for construction purposes and to make boat masts.

Bambusa bambos
Local names
Kotoha ASSAM .Behor bans BENGAL . Illi, Mula, Pattill KERALA . Kanta
bans ORISSA . Nal bans PUNJAB . Saneibo MANIPUR Mungil TAMIL NADU
. Bongu veduru, Mulla veduru ANDHRA PRADESH
Habitat & distribution
Attains the best growth in moist deciduous forests up to an altitude of
1000 metres. Prefers rich and moist soil, and thrives near perennial
rivers and valleys. Found almost throughout India, and is common in
Central and South India.
Culm
The culm is up to 30 metres tall, cylindrical, dark green, erect, strong
and hollow.
Flowering
Gregarious. Flowers at long intervals 40-60 years and the clump/plant
dies after flowering.
Uses
It is used as raw material for pulp and paper, to make panel products
and handicrafts, and for thatching and roofing.

Bambusa polymorpha

Local names
Jama betwa, Betwa ASSAM, WEST BENGAL . Narangi bans
MADHYA PRADESH . Bari TRIPURA
Habitat & distribution
Prefers deep, fertile, well-drained loam and riverine alluvial
soil. Commonly found in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and
Tripura. Also occurs in other parts of the North East.
Culm
The culm is up to 25 m tall, light green or white grey to
greyish-green.
Flowering
Gregarious as well as sporadic. Flowering cycle is 55-60
years.
Uses
It is a bamboo with many uses - as edible shoot, in woven
form for handicrafts, and for house construction. It is also

Bambusa balcooa
Local names
Bhaluka ASSAM . Balku bans WEST BENGAL . Boro bans NORTH
BENGAL . Wamnah, Beru MEGHALAYA: GARO HILLS . Barak TRIPURA
Habitat & distribution
Occurs at altitudes of up to 600 m. Prefers heavy textured soil with
good drainage. A common homestead bamboo in North East India and
West Bengal. Also occurs in Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttaranchal.
Culm
The culm is up to 30 m tall, dark green and thick-walled.
Flowering
Gregarious. The clump/plant dies after flowering without setting any
seed. The flowering cycle is 35-45 years.
Uses
The most common use of this sturdy and strong bamboo is in house
construction. It is a good bamboo for scaffolding and ladders.