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Structural Characterization of Chemically-Treated Bamboo As Concrete Reinforcement Material Nahum L. Bravo
Structural Characterization of Chemically-Treated Bamboo As Concrete Reinforcement Material Nahum L. Bravo
Nahum L. Bravo
Introduction
The construction of infrastructures such as buildings, roads, bridges
and dams largely depends on two construction materials: concrete and
steel. Both are considered indispensable as construction materials but
both are quite expensive and their raw materials are basically coming from
non-renewable resources. For example, cement has lime as its raw
material. The price of cement is quite high especially during the peak
construction months of March to June. It is also a fact that due to this peak
construction season, the construction industry experiences a shortage of
cement. The cement industry is therefore forced to import cement from
Taiwan, Malaysia and Indonesia. Indeed, the construction Industry
experiences both shortage and high cost problems of its materials.
Steel also has iron ore as its raw material. Iron mining in the
Philippines nowadays is not quite popular due to restrictive environmental
laws and regulations. Iron mining is also quite expensive, thus steel as its
finished product is also expensive. The transport of steel in far-flung
islands of the country also poses a big problem to civil engineering
contractors. It is quite difficult to transport tons of this material especially in
remote countryside whenever there are infrastructure projects
constructed.
Steel reinforcement has been widely used in many applications as
concrete reinforcement, since steel is a strong material and extremely
ductile, important engineering properties. The characterized performance
of steel reinforcement is of great significance to many engineers since it
counteracts the poor flexure and bending strengths of concrete. The use
of cement and steel as reinforcement for concrete is very common
nowadays. The application of many techniques, whether it is
advantageous and economical are the parameters of how steel
reinforcement can be maximized for a certain construction of buildings,
bridges, dams, low-cost housing and many others. With the existence of
many considerable advances in technology, the awareness of engineers
to find alternatives and substitutes to conventional steel reinforcement
construction with favorable high strength in flexure and compression
should be a focus for civil engineering researchers. The construction of
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infrastructures largely depends on the availability and low cost of its
materials.
The construction of infrastructure projects in the Philippines is one
of the 8-Point Agenda of the Administration of President Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo. The National Government is aware of the importance of building
infrastructure projects to provide the impetus for economic growth and
development. But as stated, the two construction materials, concrete and
steel continues to be expensive and depletable resources. This will pose
a challenge and a problem to the National Government in terms of its
National Infrastructure Goals. It is important to use other materials that are
cheaper, readily available and renewable to substitute at least one of the
two construction materials. One way to solve this problem is to look for
other materials that can replace steel. This material should be abundant,
renewable, indigenous, cheap and possesses good structural
characteristics of steel such as strength and ductility.
In this study, it is a goal to promote the use of indigenous material
such as bamboo as alternative for low cost or less structural requirement
in construction. This is in response when steel reinforcement is not
available in construction sites and also to the need for a new cost saving
alternative construction material. This research served as a basis in the
future for considering bamboo as reinforcing material in construction.
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3. To determine the most effective chemical treatment of
bamboo for use as concrete reinforcement.
4. To determine the savings in cost in utilizing bamboo as
concrete reinforcement.
5. To determine the most suitable application of bamboo
reinforced concrete.
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Research Methodology
Start
End
5
This experimental research consisted of ten phases of work
activities:
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The material properties of the concrete components such as the
specific gravity, moisture content and absorption are presented below
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For Concrete cylinder specimen (6 in diameter x 12 in high)
Using 4% of cross sectional area of concrete sample
Area = π d2
4
Ab = 0.442 in2
Number of bamboo:
N= Abamboo
Ab
N= 1.131
0.442
N= 2.56 ≈ 3
Area = Bxd
Area = 36 in2
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Using ¾ inch bamboo
Ab = 0.442 in2
Number of bamboo:
N= Abamboo
Ab
N= 1.44
0.442
N= 4 pcs
The tables below are the result of the compression test conducted
on all concrete specimens utilizing the Universal Testing Machine (UTM).
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Table 4. Compressive Strength at 7 Days
NAME OF DATE OF DATE OF SLUMP COMPRESSION
SAMPLE MIXING TESTING (mm) STRENGTH
psi MPa
CONTROL 08-05-07 08-12-07 87 3182 21.58
PAINT 08-05-07 08-12-07 87 3244 22.00
BORAX 08-05-07 08-12-07 87 3748 25.42
FORMALIN 08-05-07 08-12-07 87 3264 21.14
At 7 days curing period shown at Table 4, strength of all
specimens were quite satisfactory. At least all specimens had attained
about 60 % of the required compressive strength of 5000 psi(35 Mpa).
The treated bamboo reinforcements also improved the strength of the
specimens.
7000
6654
6375
6036
Compression Strength (psi)
6000
5238
5000
4673
4238 4436
4000 4125 7 days
3748
14 days
3182 3244 3264
3000 28 days
2000
1000
0
control paint borax formalin
Sample
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Formalin-treated bamboo as reinforcement for the concrete
specimen also exhibited satisfactory increase in compression attaining
6375 psi at 28 days curing period.
All specimens with bamboo reinforcements produced higher
compressive strengths compared with the control specimen (no bamboo
reinforcement) signifying that the provision of bamboo in concrete
produced a significant increase in compression strength when used as a
reinforcing material. In terms of compressive strength, the borax treated
bamboo produced the highest compression strength as compared with the
control specimen as well as with the paint-treated and formalin-treated
bamboo specimens.
PL
Fr =
bd^2
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The table presented on the next pages shows the result on the
flexural strength test conducted on various specimens of concrete at 7, 14
and 28 days period. These are the following:
1. Control specimen (with no bamboo reinforcement)
2. Specimen reinforced with paint-treated bamboo
3. Specimen reinforced with borax-treated bamboo
4. Specimen reinforced with formalin- treated bamboo
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strength at 1963 psi exceeding the allowable modulus of rupture of 530
psi for 5000 psi design concrete strength by more than 270%.
2500
2000 1963
Flexural S trength (psi)
1500 7 days
1247 1269 14 days
1142
1000 28 days
936 919
739
589 649
500 558 542
332
0
control paint borax formalin
Sample
Cost Analysis
A comparison of cost was made between a steel reinforced
oncrete specimen and a bamboo-reinforced specimen. The following were
the factors considered in the analysis of cost:
1. Transportation (freight ) cost –cost of transporting the
materials by truck
2. Material Cost – cost of bamboo material, chemical
treatment, steel reinforcing bar and freight charges
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For comparison, a 20 mm diameter steel reinforcing bar and 20-
mm diameter bamboo reinforcement, both 6 meters long were used for
the cost comparison. Below is the cost of the materials used in the cost
comparison:
It was noted that bamboo material cost varies from place to place.
Provincial pricing is much lower due to availability and lower transportation
cost. The table below shows the price of one solid culm of bamboo in the
provinces.
Table 10. Price of Bamboo Culms
LOCATION PRICE PER WHOLE BAMBOO
Provincial
Masbate …………Php 60
Laguna ………….Php 50
Aurora ………….Php 50
Mindoro ………….Php 50
Using bamboo as reinforcement, the cost of materials, chemical
treatment and freight charge are shown in Table 11 below.
Table 11. Using Bamboo as Reinforcement
Factors Cost
Bamboo whole**/ 5 pieces …....................P 12.00
Approx 1 pc. 20mm diax 6m long
Cost of chemical treatment by borax …....................P 5.0
Transportation (freight charge) for 1 pc ………………..P 0.430
2omm diameter x 6 m long bamboo
Total Cost ………………...P 17.43
** Bamboo whole could be cut into pieces to make 4 or more reinforcing materials.
Recommended width is ¾ to 1 ½ inch.
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Computing F ratio= 7, 545, 456
167, 294
F ratio = 45
Findings
From the results of the test for compressive and flexural strengths
of concrete specimens, it was noted that bamboo and chemically treated
bamboo had significant effect on the concrete strength both in
compression and flexure strengths. The strength of the specimens treated
with borax, formalin and paint surpassed the strength of the control
specimen (specimen with no bamboo reinforcement). The natural
seasoning conducted and chemical treatments applied on the bamboo
reinforcements improved its mechanical properties such as its strength.
Bamboo reinforcement treated with borax produced the highest strength
test result in compression and flexure. While the specimen with paint -
treated bamboo produced the lowest compressive and flexure strengths.
Formalin also proved to be a satisfactory chemical treatment for bamboo,
producing compressive and flexure strengths above the strength of the
control specimens.
Utilizing bamboo as reinforcement for concrete instead of steel
also will yield about 95% savings in material and freight costs. Utilizing
indigenous materials such as bamboo for construction purposes would
provide the construction industry with an effective and cost-efficient
material. In utilizing chemically treated bamboo, the dependence on steel
as reinforcing material for concrete would be lessened yielding great
savings in cost of material, freight and construction.
Conclusions
The following conclusions were drawn from the study:
1. Natural seasoning and chemically-treated bamboo with borax,
paint and formalin increased the compression and flexure
strength of bamboo reinforced concrete specimens.
2. At 28 days curing period, compared with the control specimen
(specimen with no bamboo reinforcement), the following
increase in compression and flexure strength of bamboo
reinforced concrete specimens were attained:
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UTILIZING THE % INCREASE IN % INCREASE IN
FOLLOWING COMPRESSION STRENGTH FLEXURE STRENGTH
CHEMICAL VERSUS THE CONTROL VS THE CONTROL
TREATMENTS SPECIMEN SPECIMEN
BORAX-TREATED 27% 166%
FORMALIN- 22% 72%
TREATED
PAINT-TREATED 15.23% 69%
Recommendations
The results of the study indicate that the utilization of chemically-
treated bamboo as alternative reinforcing material for steel in concrete
construction is feasible. The load capacities of bamboo reinforced
concrete in terms of its compression and flexure strengths exceeded that
of the control specimen and are therefore quite satisfactory as a structural
member.
In this study borax proved to be the best chemical treatment of
kauayan tinik bamboo for use as reinforcement for concrete. Test results
showed that borax treated bamboo attained the highest strength test
result in both flexural and compressive strength.
The following are recommended for further studies:
1. To utilize other chemical treatments in bamboo such as lime
and salt water immersion.’
2. To construct an actual prototype of a beam, column or
highway pavement reinforced with chemically-treated
bamboo. This is to determine the actual behavior of a
chemically treated bamboo reinforced concrete.
3. To test the behavior of other types of Philippine bamboo such
as “bayog” or “buho” as reinforcement for concrete.
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4. To study the effect of bond, slip resistance and fatigue stress
in bamboo-reinforced concrete specimens.
5. To study the behavior of chemically-treated bamboo-
reinforced concrete against fire.
REFERENCES
Books
DPWH Standard Specifications for Public Work Structures, Volume II
and Volume III, 1995
Michael S. Mamlouk and John Zaniewki, Materials for Civil and
Construction Engineers, 1999
Internet Sites
Bamboo as Building Material
www.koolbamboo.com/Bamboo as a building material
Bamboo Preservations
http://www.bamboocomposites.com/preservation.htm
Bamboo Reinforced Concrete Construction
http://www.romanconcrete.com/docs/bamboo1966/BambooReinfo
rcedConcreteFeb1966.htm
Bamboo Research in the Philippines - Cristina A. Roxas
www.ipgri.cgiar.org/publications/HTMLPublications/572/ch30.htm
Mechanical properties of bamboo
http://bambus.rwth-aachen.de/eng/PDF-
Files/Mechanical%20properties%20of%20bamboo.pdf
Philippine National Report on Bamboo and Rattan
www.inbar.int/documents/country report/Philippine.htm
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