3.4.4.

Mechanical Properties

Compressive strength

The average compressive strength values of the bamboo were 465 kgf/cm2 and

361 kgf/cm2 in green and air-dry conditions, respectively. As illustrated in Fig 3.2, there

was shown that significant differences existed within the levels of MC and node presence.

The bamboo is weaker with increasing moisture content, an obvious conclusion. As

expected, air-dry specimens exhibited higher compressive strength.

The strength of bamboo splint depends on moisture content, and the same general

principles are found for wood. According to Ota26, above the fiber saturation point,

moisture content has no effect on the strength, and below it the compressive strength

increases exponentially as the moisture content decreases. On average, the ratio of

compressive strength in the green and nearly oven-dry conditions is about 2, but the fiber

saturation point is much lower than for wood, at 17.2%26.

Janssen23 found that bamboo is somewhat stronger than wood in compression

parallel to the fibers, given equal density. This may due to the higher cellulose content in

bamboo (55% as compared with 50% in wood). However, in wood, high compressive

strength is often thought to result from high lignin content.

The nodal structure bear special significance and interest for understanding the

intercalary growth, the cross transport of water and nutrients in the living culms, for the

liquid movement during drying and preservation as well as the physical and mechanical

properties of the culms. Although from the point of view of practical use the disposition

of nodes does not seem to be of much importance, it seems to be useful to know the

effect of nodes from the point of view of testing. The general opinion, however, is that

20
this effect is significant for split bamboo. The presence of a node reduced almost of

19.6 % the compressive strength of the bamboo culms. This effect was occurred because

the bamboo fibers do not run straightforward in a node.

The specimens also showed no visible defects before testing. The feature of the

failure was splitting and/or crushing type, however, a relationship between the failure

type and MC was not observed.

600

500
465

444
Compressive strength (kgf/cm2)

400
372
351

300

200
air-dry

without
green

with

100

0
Moisture conditions Node presence

Fig 3.2. Compressive strength of bamboo related to moisture levels and

presence of node

21
 1600

1371
1324
1400

1149

1102
Tensile strength (kgf/cm2)
1200

1000

800

600

without
air-dry
400
green

with
200

0
Moisture conditions Node presence

Fig 3.3. Tensile strength of bamboo related to moisture levels and presence of node

Tensile strength

The average tensile strength of green bamboo was 1149 kgf/cm2, while that of the

air-dry bamboo was 1324 kgf/cm2. Fig 3.3 illustrates the relationship between the tensile

strength and the selected variables. It clearly indicates that the effect of node on tensile

strength was crushing; the narrow neck and central node presented a stress concentration,

which severely reduced the tensile strength. The tensile strength parallel to the fibers of

bamboo splint is very high, ranging from 2.5 to 3.5 times the compressive strength. The

bending strength, or rupture modulus, of bamboo culms and bamboo splint is

intermediate between the compressive and tensile strength.

22
Bending properties

Generally, the distribution of cell types within the culms as well as the shape, size,

arrangement and number of vascular bundle contributes to the different mechanical

properties of bamboo. It was reported that the MOR of bamboo culms is intermediate

between the compressive and tensile strength. Ueda27 has also done test on bending,

compression and torsion of moso bamboo specimens. The bamboo has been tested in

three positions: with the outer face towards the load, with the inner face towards the load

and radial position.

Fig. 3.4 and Fig. 3.5 were summarizing the relationship of MOR and MOE

between selected variables. The moisture condition had significantly effect on MOE and

MOR. As expected, air-dry specimens exhibited higher MOE and MOR values.

The surface orientation (up/down position) of the outer bark also had significantly

effect on MOE and MOR. It is interesting to see the difference in behavior: loaded on the

outer face, the bamboo behaves like brittle material, because the soft inner side is at the

tensile side. Whereas, loaded on the inner side, the hard and tough outer side is at

tension-side and the specimens are so pliable as to deflect 3 – 4 times larger than in outer

face loading.

The presence or absence of nodes was not a significant factor affecting MOE

because the material remained linearly elastic at relatively low loads. However, it did

significantly influence MOR when the material was no longer linearly elastic and

eventually broke at the nodes. When the orientation of the outer bark was up, the failure

occurred at the bottom of the bending specimens. Obviously, the specimens with a

23
central node broke more easily since a pronounced bulging of the walls at the node

showed a corresponding weakness in tension at that point.

1400

1142
1200

1095
1086
Modulus of Rupture (kgf/cm2)

941
1000

927
883

800

600

400
air-dry

without
green

down
with

up

200

0
Moisture Node presence Surface orientation
conditions

Fig. 3.4. Modulus of Rupture (MOR) as a function of all selected variables

24
 140

120

109.7

105.2
Modulus of Elasticity (x1000 kgf/cm2)

101.5
93.4
100

87.6
84.1

80

60

40
without
air-dry
green

down
with

up
20

0
Moisture Node presence Surface orientation
conditions

Fig. 3.5. Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) as a function of all selected variables

25
Shearing strength

Shear strength parallel to the fibers of wood is generally about 20-30% of the

compressive strength but in bamboo it is much lower at only about 8%23. Bending failure

of bamboo culms often occurs by horizontal shear. Along with low shear strength,

bamboo also has low resistance to splitting, which can be a disadvantage for structural

uses. For instance, it is not practical to nail bamboo because it splits too easily. Thus, it

is usually used in round form and lashed or tied together. The low splitting resistance can

be a great advantage, however, as in the making of baskets and mats, and in many other

handicrafts.

26
3.4.5. Conclusions

The physical and mechanical properties of moso bamboo are affected by such

variables as MC, presence of nodes and orientation of the outer bark. All strength

properties increased from the green to air-dry conditions (Table 3.3). MC and presence

of node was the dominant factor that considerably influenced the compressive and tensile

strength. The selected variables of MC and loading direction with respect to outer

perimeter of bamboo all had significant effects on MOE and MOR, whereas the presence

of node decreasing the compression, tension and MOR values with 10.97 %, 14.24 % and

11.82 %, respectively (in air-dry condition). Like wood bamboo is also anisotropic

material, its radial and tangential shrinkages are much greater than longitudinal shrinkage.

Physical and mechanical properties of moso bamboo in Japan were almost the

same with the giant timber bamboo (Phyllostachys bambusoides) grown in South

Carolina, USA, that investigated by Lee et al28.

27
Table 3.3. Mechanical properties of moso bamboo at the green and air-dry condition
relative to the different experimental variable.

Mechanical Green Condition

Properties Node surface Average
(kgf/cm2)
presence absence Up Down

Compression
Mean 306 396 - - 351
SD 46 52 - - 56
Tension
Mean 968 1330 - - 1149
SD 164 186 - - 172
MOE (x 1000)
Mean 81.8 90.9 91.2 72.7 84.1
SD 12.3 12.6 10.1 9.5 11.8
MOR
Mean 853 982 919 776 883
SD 102 137 93 129 141
Air-dry Condition

Compression
Mean 438 492 - - 465
SD 53 69 - - 70
Tension
Mean 1236 1412 - - 1324
SD 161 226 - - 212
MOE (x 1000)
Mean 105.0 112.1 119.2 102.5 109.7
SD 14.7 14.6 15.5 16.4 16.5
MOR
Mean 1029 1167 1271 1078 1142
SD 134 190 190 162 171
The number of specimen for compression, tension and bending for each treatment are, respectively, 10, 8
and 10; SD=standard deviations from the sample mean.

28
3.5. Possible Applications

When compared with other bamboo species the average strength values of air-dry

bamboo are near the medium range. But when compared with Japanese wood, moso

bamboo possesses similar physical and mechanical properties, as summarize in Table 3.4.

Thus bamboo may be an alternative material for the manufacture of various forest

products. Interestingly, bamboo grows more rapidly than any wood species. With

particularly high bending and tensile strengths, bamboo could be used most

advantageously in structure component that require its high strength, such as flanges for

laminated composite beam and strand for parallel-glued beams. It should to be noted that

the presence of bamboo node slightly reducing the mechanical properties, so this factor

should be considered during bamboo products manufacturing.

Table 3.4. Comparison of the properties of moso bamboo, Japanese wood and other
bamboo species on air-dry condition.

Species Specific Compressive Tensile Bending properties

gravity strength strength (kgf/cm2)
(kgf/cm2) (kgf/cm2) MOE(103) MOR

Moso bamboo 0.74 470 1320 110 1150

Japanese wooda
Akamatsu 0.52 450 1400 115 900
Sugi 0.38 350 900 75 650
Buna 0.65 450 1350 120 1000
Nara 0.68 450 1200 110 1000

Others Bamboo
Indiab -- 450-650 980-2600 90-210 990-1400
Indonesiac 0.52-0.71 255-630 1120-2130 75-145 1150-1800
a
Kamimura, (eds).29; bSukla et al.30; cSurjokusumo and Nugroho31

29