Innovative Infrastructure Solutions (2019) 4:41

https://doi.org/10.1007/s41062-019-0228-x

TECHNICAL PAPER

Experimental and numerical analysis of large‑scale

bamboo‑reinforced concrete beams containing crushed sand
P. O. Awoyera1   · S. Karthik2 · P. R. M. Rao2 · R. Gobinath3

Received: 22 April 2019 / Accepted: 26 July 2019

© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019

Abstract
Of many fast growing grasses around the world, bamboo has been persistently investigated as a possible reinforcing element
in concrete. In addition to the existing knowledge on the subject, this study has performed an experimental and numerical
analysis of flexural behaviour of large-scale bamboo-reinforced concrete beams containing crushed sand. The crushed sand
was used as complete replacement of natural river sand at 0 and 100%, while bamboo was substituted for steel reinforcement
bars at 50 and 100%. Other concrete ingredients cement, granite, and mixing water were kept constant. Curing of hardened
beams was by immersion in water for 28, 56, and 84 days’ regimes. Finite element/numerical modelling and analysis of beams
was performed using ABAQUS software. A nonlinear model analysis with static loading was considered with a predefined
3D model. The concrete fracture pattern was smeared crack, in the mode I. The results showed that a partial (50%) or total
(100%) replacement of steel with bamboo and total replacement of natural river sand with crushed sand gave somewhat
similar performance in flexure as the control beams. As expected, steel-reinforced beams were better in terms of strength
across all curing regimes; however, members reinforced with 50% bamboo, although with about 14% lesser strength but
having minimal deformation and crack propagation, can also be a sustainable alternative for construction. Overall, the results
somewhat validate the obtained experimental flexural strength of the beams.

Keywords  Reinforced concrete · Steel reinforcement · Bamboo · Flexural properties · Crack propagation

Introduction rolling process, and finally, the corrosion phenomenon in

steel, when it is in contact with moisture.
The use of steel bars as reinforcement in concrete is an age- Bamboo is a fast growing plant usually found in the trop-
long building technology. It is evident, based on mechanical ics, especially in areas like Africa, Asia, and Latin America
performance, that steel is the most selected reinforcing mem- [1, 5]. Bamboo is a lightweight and renewable material,
ber for concreting. However, research outputs over the years and it is eco-friendly in nature. There is recently a continu-
have shown that bamboo could be a viable and sustainable ous development in the application of bamboo in concrete,
alternative to steel reinforcement [1–4]. The motivation sur- mostly as fibres [2–4] or reinforcing bars [5–7] for improv-
rounding the use of bamboo is borne out of the fact that steel ing tension characteristics of concrete. However, for dec-
costs higher among most construction materials, secondly, ades it was popularly used as scaffolding member during
the environmental degradation that is associated with steel construction or for building farm structures [8, 9]. Bamboo
reinforcement in a concrete block masonry explored by [10]
was found to enhance both the shear capacity and ductility
of the material than in unreinforced samples. The choice of
* P. O. Awoyera bamboo as a sustainable replacement of steel bars is based
paul.awoyera@covenantuniversity.edu.ng on its substantial mechanical characteristics, which are com-
1 parable to that of steel [5].
Department of Civil Engineering, Covenant University, Ota,
Nigeria Study by Laroque [11] has established that bamboo per-
2 forms better in flexure than under tension and compression
Department of Civil Engineering, VIT University, Vellore,
India loading. It was also revealed by Laroque that the compressive
3 strength of bamboo could be significantly reduced if its density
SR Engineering College, Warangal, Telangana, India

13
Vol.:(0123456789)
 41   Page 2 of 15
is outside the limits of 520–820 kg/m3. However, Janssen [12]
found the mechanical performance of bamboo to be largely
dependent on its specific gravity.
With bamboo functioning as reinforcement in small-scale
laboratory specimen [2], it produced a performance in flexure
that is somewhat close to that of conventionally reinforced con-
crete. However, the behaviour of bamboo-reinforced concrete
can only be maximized by adequately treating bamboo strips
before use as reinforcement [13–16]. Based on those stud-
ies, it can be deduced that the pre-treatment of bamboo with
adhesives could ensure that the composite bonding strength
at the bamboo–concrete paste interphase is closely fitted. In a
study by Lima et al. [3], the durability of embedded bamboo
strips in concrete exposed to an aggressive environment was
ascertained. It was made known that concrete generally has
high pH which may lead to decay of any vegetal material, but
bamboo demonstrated no significant loss in its tensile strength
and Young’s modulus [17].
In recent years, the use of crushed sand which is produced
by mechanical crushing of hard rocks for concrete produc-
tion is rapidly increasing. It has been tested as possible
replacement for the conventional sand (river sand) [6], but
its optimum performance was achieved when its powdered
content has been increased [18]. Having so much powder
content in crushed sand ensures that concrete possesses
denser structures with denser interfacial transition zone [19].
So far in the studies, not so much has been reported on the
use of crushed sand in a bamboo-reinforced concrete. Most of
the previous studies have been focused on the experimentation
using bamboo and other materials in producing elementary
samples for laboratory testing. Although, this kind of research
effort helps to evaluate the potential use of low-cost mate-
rial in construction; however, there is a need to assess the
behaviour of bamboo as a reinforcement in large-scale flexural
members. Therefore, in the current study, bamboo-reinforced
concrete beams containing crushed sand will be prepared in
large scale and tested experimentally using a universal test-
ing machine (UTM). Also, the study performs a numerical
simulation and analysis of the beams using ABAQUS, from
which the validation of the experimental data can be done.
The overall goal of this study is to showcase the viability of
bamboo reinforcement in terms of flexural resistance, beyond
the level of laboratory experiments, to builders and other con-
cerned stakeholders in the construction field.
Experimental and numerical analysis
procedures
This study, through an experimental and numerical proce-
dure, aims to showcase the potential of bamboo as a rein-
forcing element in beams. The procedures entail an initial
testing of bamboo to determine its physical and mechanical
13
Innovative Infrastructure Solutions (2019) 4:41
characteristics, for ascertaining its suitability. Then, bam-
boo-reinforced concrete beams were produced and subjected
to tests, covering non-destructive and flexural behaviour.
The details of the materials used and various tests performed
in this study are presented in the following section.
Materials
The materials used in this study include ordinary Portland
cement (OPC), river sand, crushed sand—produced from
crushed hard granite stone, granite, bamboo, 12-mm-diameter
grade 425 steel reinforcement bars and 6-mm stirrups, mixing
water, and bituminous adhesive. The diameter of bamboo strips
was 10 mm, and its length was taken with respect to beam size.
Bamboo was substituted for steel at 0, 50, and 100%.
Except in the control mix where river sand was used,
other mixtures were prepared with the crushed sand as fine
aggregate. The fine aggregates (river sand and crushed sand)
were below 4.75 micron size, while coarse aggregate (gran-
ite) was 20 mm size and angular in shape. The properties
of the aggregates were determined using IS 2386 [20]. The
properties of the aggregates are presented in Table 1.
The bamboo and crushed sand were prepared in line with
the procedures adopted by the authors in a preliminary study
[6]. Based on the study’s approach, the bamboo strips were
soaked in water for 24 h and coated in a bituminous adhe-
sive to enhance its bonding with concrete. The properties of
bamboo used in this study such as moisture content, tensile
strength, and shrinkage were determined, following the pro-
cedures of IS 6874 [21]. An experimental set-up for bamboo
tensile strength test is shown in Fig. 1.
Bamboo strips of 4 mm thick, 8 mm breadth, and 700 mm
long were used for the tensile strength determination. The
selected specimens were tested using the ultimate testing
machine (UTM). The tensile strength of bamboo and steel
was 312.67 N/mm2 and 437.96 N/mm2, respectively. The
moisture content of bamboo was about 4% and its shrinkage
value was 1 mm.
A cylindrical bamboo specimen of 100  mm length
and 40  mm diameter was used for both the shrinkage
and moisture content determination. The samples were
soaked in water for 48 h. Shrinkage was measured along
the length and diameter of the specimen. It was determined
Table 1  Physical properties of aggregates
Properties River sand Crushed sand Granite
Specific gravity 2.60 2.50 2.80
Water absorption (%) 6.50 2.43 2.00
Fineness modulus 2.89 2.84 –
Aggregate impact value (%) – – 29.60
Aggregate crushing value (%) – – 6.70
Innovative Infrastructure Solutions (2019) 4:41 Page 3 of 15  41

Fig. 1  Experimental set-up for

bamboo tensile strength test

by deducting the initial length or diameter of bamboo,
measured before soaking from the length or diameter after
soaking. The difference between the two values represents
the shrinkage of bamboo. Shrinkage percentage (along
diameter or length) was calculated as follows:
Di − Df
Shrinkage along diameter =
D
2000 mm) were designed and prepared as shown in Table 2.
The cross sections of the three categories of beam are pre-
sented in Fig. 2. The beams are of a grade 25 concrete,
which design follows the requirement of Indian Standard IS
6mm dia bars @ 150mm c/c
4 # of 12 mm dia bars
(a)
(1)

Li − Lf
Shrinkage along length = (2)
L
15
where Di and Li = initial dimensions of outer diameter and
length, respectively, in mm and Df and Lf = final dimensions
of outer diameter and length, respectively, in mm. 70
15
All dimensions are in cm
The shrinkage of bamboo along length, diameter, and
thickness has been calculated by above formulas. The
6mm dia bars @ 150mm c/c
selected bamboo has shrinkage length of 1 mm. (b) 4 # of 12 mm dia bars
In the same vein, the weight difference in bamboo,
before and after oven-drying for 24 h, was taken as the
moisture content of bamboo. Moisture content was calcu-
lated using the expression:
M − M1 20
Moisture content = (3)
M
120
where M = initial mass of the test specimen, in kilograms 15
All dimensions are in cm
and M1 = oven-dry mass in kilograms.
For the tests performed to determine the properties of 6mm dia bars @ 150mm c/c
bamboo and steel, two samples were used, and an average of (c) 4 # of 12 mm dia bars

the result was taken as the property of the material.

In this study, three different sizes of bamboo- or steel-
reinforced concrete beam (lengths 700 mm, 1200 mm, and

Table 2  Types of beam investigated 15

Beam no. Sizes (mm)
(length × depth × length)
1 150 × 150 × 700
2 150 × 200 × 1200
3 150 × 150 × 2000
Reinforcement details
2–12-mm main bars in tension
zone and 2–6-mm φ hanger
bars in the compression one
200
15
All dimensions are in cm
Fig. 2  a Beam no. 1 reinforcement details. b Beam no. 2 reinforce-
ment details. c Beam no. 3 reinforcement details

13
 41   Page 4 of 15 Innovative Infrastructure Solutions (2019) 4:41

Table 3  Mix proportion for materials

Mix ID Cement River sand Crushed Granite Water (L)
(kg/m3) (kg/m3) sand (kg/ (kg/m3)
m3)

MS0 416 776.204 981.288 208

MS100 416 0 776.204 981.288 208

Fig. 3  Bamboo reinforcement in beams

456 [22]. For a 1-m3 concrete, a mix proportion of 1: 1.86:

2.35, representing binder, fine aggregate, and coarse aggre-
gate, and water–binder ratio of 0.5 were adopted. The mix
proportion for materials is given in Table 3. The beams were
cast and cured by immersion in water for 28 days, 56 days,
and 84 days. The typical beam construction before casting
is shown in Fig. 3.

Non‑destructive testing (NDT) on beams

This NDT method has been widely used in science and

technology industry to evaluate the properties of material,
component, or system without causing damage. In this study,
NDT method was utilized to measure the strength charac-
teristics of the beam samples. The ultrasonic pulse velocity
(UPV) method of NDT was utilized. This uses pulses in the
frequency range of 20–150 kHz, which are generated by
an electronic circuit. The test was performed following the
procedures of IS 13311-1 [23], on concrete beams after the
curing regimes of 28, 56, and 84 days. The direct method of
UPV testing was adopted, which allows pulse energy to be
transmitted at right angles to the face of a connected trans-
mitter, and this method is known to be the most reliable, in
that it aids transit time measurement.
Figure 4a–c shows the pulse velocity measured in beams
per curing days for beams of length 0.7, 1.2, and 2.0 metres,
respectively. The interpretation of UPV in relation to the
quality of concrete was depicted on the graphs based on the
specification of IS 13311–1 [23]. According to IS 13311 Fig. 4  a UPV of 0.7 m beam. b UPV of 1.2 m beam. c UPV of 2 m
recommendations, an excellent quality concrete should have beam

13
Innovative Infrastructure Solutions (2019) 4:41 Page 5 of 15  41
UPV higher than 4.5 km/s, and next category is good qual-
ity concrete with UPV between 3.5 and 4.5 km/s. A fair
or medium quality concrete should have UPV between 3.0
and 3.5 km/s, and lastly, a concrete with UPV lesser than
3.0 km/s is of poor quality. The results shown in Fig. 4a–c
indicate that UPV was higher in steel-reinforced concrete
than in those containing bamboo. This was certainly because
the ultrasonic pulse generated by the electric circuit tends to
move slower in the steel-reinforced concrete than the bam-
boo-reinforced samples. Also, it was apparent that UPV was
not influenced by the curing age of concrete beams, but it
increased with increasing beam lengths.
Flexural tests on beams
The flexural strength of beams was determined following
the procedures of IS 516 [24], a method that is focused on
force control. Beams were tested after being cured in water
for 28, 56, and 84 days. The variation in curing regime was
to check the influence of prolong curing on the beam flexural
strength. The flexural strength of beam, load vs deflection for
beams, and crack pattern were investigated. The experimen-
tal set-up for third-point flexural loading is shown in Fig. 5.
The ultimate failure load was used to determine the flex-
ural strength of beam. The values were obtained via a load
cell which was connected to load indicator. Also, the deflec-
tion values were measured by the digital dial gauge having
a magnetic base. The hardened beam was marked 100 mm
from both ends of beam and centre of beam was marked for
fixing the centre point load, where the failure load in the
reinforced beam was measured.
The flexural strength of beam was determined using the
expression:
P∗L
Flexural strength, Fct = (4)
BD2
LOAD (P)
ROLLER
L/4
L/3
L/2
GL
Fig. 5  Third-point flexural loading set-up
where Fct = flexural strength of beam specimens, P = ulti-
mate load applied to beam (kN), L = clear length of beam
between supports (mm), B = width of the specimen (mm),
and D = depth of beam (mm).
Results and discussion
Flexural strength in beams
The flexural strength and deflection in beams were deter-
mined for both the bamboo-reinforced and steel-reinforced
concrete beams. The flexural strengths of 0.7 m, 1.2 m, and
2.0 m beams are shown in Fig. 6a–c, respectively. For the
categories of beams, irrespective of the length or reinforce-
ment with 0% bamboo, 50% bamboo, and 100% bamboo, it
was observed that flexural strength increased with increas-
ing curing age. Within the limit of the testing regimes, the
maximum strength was attained at 84 days’ testing. This was
the case for all the tested beams, which shows that hydra-
tion of cement paste in the mixes was adequate. The beams
reinforced with 50% bamboo bars produced performance
which was somewhat similar to the steel-reinforced beam.
When bamboo was used at 100%, compared to the steel-rein-
forced beam, there was only about 14% reduction in flexural
strength. This suggests that bamboo can be used as overall
reinforcement in a structural member.
Load–deflection behaviour in beams
The deflection at the centre of the beams—for the control
mix with 0% bamboo and beams with 50 and 100% bam-
boo reinforcement bars— was measured using a digital dial
gauge.
Figures 7, 8, and 9 show the load–deflection plots of the
beams, 0.7 m, 1.2 m, and 2.0 m beams, respectively. The
LOAD CELL
SPANDREL BEAM
BEAM SPECIMEN
DIAL GAUGE
GL
13
 41   Page 6 of 15 Innovative Infrastructure Solutions (2019) 4:41

first crack pattern and failure load were recorded along with
corresponding displacements.
As can be seen in Fig.  7a, the control beam (with-
out bamboo) at 28 days provided resistance to loading
up to 10.42 kN at deflection of 1.78 mm. The optimum
resistance to failure was provided by this mix at 84 days,
which occurred at 29.8 kN, with a deflection of 7.21 mm.
The control beam experienced the highest deflection at
the mid-span, which was at the maximum capacity at
84  days. The medium-to-wide crack was observed at
bottom, and thin crack was noted at top of beam. Simi-
larly, in Fig. 7b, the deflection and load were minimum
in 28 days. In 56 days’ test, beam deflects 5.98 mm for
the load of 21.54 kN and when this was compared with
84 days’ test, the deflection of beam is 8.22 mm for the
maximum load of 29.5 kN. The results have shown that
50% bamboo beam at 84 days’ test has capability to carry
maximum load for minimum deflection. The high capac-
ity of this mix to absorb energy is evident in its large area
under the load–deformation curves, which was close to
that of the control beam. In the same vein, the larger area
under the load–deflection curve of the beam could mean
enhanced ductility of bamboo-reinforced concrete [25].
During loading, the first crack appears at bottom and then
it slowly propagates towards the top as the load increased.
The load versus deflection curve for 100% bamboo rein-
forcement beam is presented in Fig. 7c. In this graph,
the deflection and load were minimum at 28 days. The
corresponding deflection of 3.8 mm and 6.32 mm was
obtained at loading of 7.9 kN and 9.9 kN, respectively,
for beams tested at 56 and 84 days.
Figure 8a compares the load versus deflection graph
for 0%, 50%, and 100% bamboo-reinforced beams of
1.2 m length at 28, 56, and 84 days. The beam at 28 days’
test could withstand up to 24.56 kN at deflection of 8 mm.
At 56 days’ test, the deflection of beam was 8.9 mm at a
loading of 43.8 kN, and at 84 days, the beam failed at a
load of 50.7 kN and deflection of 11.2 mm. In Fig. 8b,
c, it can be seen that 50% and 100% bamboo-reinforced
beams, respectively, provided the best resistance to failure
at 84 days. Based on this, it could mean that bamboo-
reinforced concrete requires longer curing regime before
it would attain maximum capacity.
Figure 9a compares the load versus deflection for 0%,
50%, and 100% bamboo-reinforced beams of 2.0 m length
at 28, 56, and 84 days. As observed in the other lengths
of beams, the beam provided highest resistance to failure
at 84 days’ test with a load of 21 kN and correspond-
ing deflection of 16.12 mm. The load versus deflection
graphs for 50% and 100% bamboo-reinforced beams are
shown in Fig. 9b, c. It can be seen that the best perfor-
mance of beams was obtained when 50% bamboo was
Fig. 6  a Flexural strength of 0.7  m beams. b Flexural strength of
1.2 m beams. c Flexural strength of bamboo beams (2 m)

13
Innovative Infrastructure Solutions (2019) 4:41 Page 7 of 15  41

Fig. 7  Load–displacement plots of 0.7 m beam. a 0% bamboo. b 50% bamboo. c 100% bamboo

used as replacement of steel reinforcement. At 84 days’
test, the deflection of beam was 14.2 mm for the maxi-
mum load of 17.9 kN.
Failure mode and crack pattern in beams
As the beams were subjected to loadings, the rate and mode
of crack propagation were observed, as an indication of the
load resistance of the members. Figure 10a–c shows typical
beams reinforced with steel, 50% bamboo, and 100% bam-
boo, respectively, for a 2-m-long beam at 84 days’ testing.
The depth of crack was found at the three points from
top to bottom of beam. The first crack was found at distance
of 40 mm depth and then second crack at distance 80 mm
depth and third crack at distance of 120 mm depth from top
of beam. In the tested beams, the cracks grow at the bottom
of beam and propagate to the top, which are mostly verti-
cal and inclined cracks. The maximum width of crack was
6.5 mm in bottom, and minimum of fine cracks is observed.
The crack developed up to 133.75 mm in length that is close
up to the total depth of beam.

13
 41   Page 8 of 15
Fig. 8  Load–displacement plots of 1.2 m beam. a 0% bamboo. b 50% bamboo. c 100% bamboo
Figure 11a, b shows typical beams reinforced with 50%
bamboo and 100% bamboo, respectively, for a 1.2-m-long
beam at 84 days’ testing.
The depth of crack was found at three points from top
to bottom of beam. The first crack was found at distance of
50 mm depth and second crack at 100 mm depth and third
crack at 150 mm depth from top of beam. In all bamboo
beams, crack starts at bottom of beam and it moves to top,
and mostly vertical cracks are found in beams. The maxi-
mum width of crack was 5.67 mm in bottom, and minimum
of medium cracks was observed at top of beam. The crack
develops up to 177.8 mm of the total depth of beam.
13
Innovative Infrastructure Solutions (2019) 4:41
Figure 12a, b shows typical beams reinforced with 50%
bamboo and 100% bamboo, respectively, for a 0.7-m-long
beam at 84 days’ testing.
The depth of crack was found at the three points from
top to bottom of beam. The first crack is found at distance
of 40 mm depth and then second crack at distance 80 mm
depth and third crack at distance of 120 mm depth from
top of beam. In all bamboo beams, crack starts at bottom
of beam and it moves to top, and mostly vertical cracks are
found in beams. The maximum width of crack is wide in
bottom, and minimum of thin cracks is observed at top of
Innovative Infrastructure Solutions (2019) 4:41 Page 9 of 15  41

Fig. 9  Load–displacement plots of 2.0 m beam. a 0% bamboo. b 50% bamboo. c 100% bamboo

beam. The crack develops to the length of 112.4 mm of the
total depth of beam.
Numerical modelling and analysis of beams
The numerical modelling and analysis of bamboo-reinforced
beam was performed using the finite element analysis in
ABAQUS software. A nonlinear model analysis with static
loading was considered with a predefined 3D model. The
concrete fracture pattern was smeared crack, in the mode
I. It is known that the model is suitable for simulation in a
nonlinear response in tension [26]. The parameters utilized
for modelling beams are given in Table 4. A persistent mesh
sensitivity study was performed on the element in order to
ascertain that appropriate meshing scheme was adopted.
During the analysis, the force–displacement upon loading
of beams was explored, likewise the stress and strain tensors
were obtained.
In the model, three degrees of freedom were considered at
every node, having translations in the nodal x, y, and z coor-
dinates. In addition, the model has capability of undergoing
plastic deformation, cracking in three orthogonal directions,
and crushing.
From the experimental studies, the beams having critical
behaviour have been selected for the numerical modelling
and analysis. A three-point load method (simply supported)
by hydraulic jack with the help of loading frame was utilized
for the beam analysis.

13
 41   Page 10 of 15 Innovative Infrastructure Solutions (2019) 4:41

Fig. 10  Crack propagation in
2 m beams. a Steel-reinforced.
b 50% bamboo. c 100% bamboo

Fig. 11  Crack propagation in
1.2 m beams. a 50% bamboo. b
100% bamboo

The deformation, stress tensor, and strain tensor for the The deformation, stress tensor, and strain tensor for the
2-m-long beam with 50% bamboo are shown in Fig. 13a–c, 1.2-m-long beam with 50% bamboo are shown in Fig. 14a–c,
respectively. respectively.

13
Innovative Infrastructure Solutions (2019) 4:41 Page 11 of 15  41

Fig. 12  Crack propagation in 0.7 m beams. a 50% bamboo. b 100% bamboo

Table 4  Parameters for modelling beams 1. The bamboo-reinforced beams at 50% and 100%
replacement of steel with bamboo showed performance
Property Description
which was somewhat close to that of the steel-rein-
Support Simply supported forced beams. This shows that natural bamboo material
Concrete M25 can also be replaced in structural members instead of
Ec 25,000 N/mm2 steel. A 50% bamboo reinforcement in beam could yield
Poisson’s ratio (concrete) 0.2 nearly equal strength and stiffness as the conventional
Es 20,394.32 kg/mm2 beam. On the curing days, results showed that the flex-
Poisson’s ratio (steel) 0.3 ural strength of beams increased with increasing curing
Poisson’s ratio (bamboo) 0.27 regimes.
2. This study has revealed that flexural strength of both
steel- and bamboo-reinforced beams increased with
Finally, the deformation, stress tensor, and strain tensor increasing curing regimes. Steel-reinforced beams were
for the 0.7-m-long beam with 50% bamboo are shown in better in terms of strength; however, members reinforced
Fig. 15a–c, respectively. with bamboo, although with about 14% lesser strength,
From the numerical analysis performed, the results some- can be a sustainable alternative for structural member.
what validate the obtained experimental flexural strength of 3. It was realized that mid-span deflection was higher in the
the beams. The 2-m-long member demonstrated capability bamboo-reinforced beams than the conventional steel
of flexural resistance than the remaining lengths. Overall, all beam. The first crack was noted close to the centre point
the beams failed at about their middle third points. of beam and then deepens until failure.
4. The stiffness values of beam specimens with bamboo
reinforcement beam were lower than that of the steel-
Conclusion reinforced members after cracking. The load–deflection
curves showed that 50% bamboo-reinforced beam pos-
This study focuses on experimental and numerical analysis sessed higher load carrying capacity than other modified
of large-scale bamboo-reinforced concrete beams contain- beams. Similarly, the numerical analysis revealed higher
ing crushed sand. The performance of the beams in flexure stress and strain tensors for the same category of beams.
was explored upon variation in bamboo–steel reinforce- Overall, both the experimental and numerical data were
ment, member length, and curing durations. The following validated.
conclusions can be drawn from the study:

13
 41   Page 12 of 15 Innovative Infrastructure Solutions (2019) 4:41

Fig. 13  a Deformation view of

2 m beam. b Stress tensor of
2 m beam. c Strain tensor of
2 m beam

13
Innovative Infrastructure Solutions (2019) 4:41 Page 13 of 15  41

Fig. 14  a Deformation view of

1.2 m beam. b Stress tensor of
1.2 m beam. c Strain tensor of
1.2 m beam

13
 41   Page 14 of 15 Innovative Infrastructure Solutions (2019) 4:41

Fig. 15  a Deformation view of

0.7 m beam. b Stress tensor of
0.7 m beam. c Strain tensor of
0.7 m beam

13
Innovative Infrastructure Solutions (2019) 4:41 Page 15 of 15  41
Acknowledgements  This research was fully supported by the VIT
University, Vellore, India.
Compliance with ethical standards  13. Rahman N, Shing LW, Simon L, Philipp M, Alireza J, Ling CS,
Conflict of interest None.
14. Javadian A, Wielopolski M, Smith IFC, Hebel DE (2016) Bond-
References
1. Vogtländer J, van der Lugt P, Brezet H (2010) The sustainabil-
ity of bamboo products for local and Western European applica-
tions: LCAs and land-use. J Clean Prod 18:1260–1269. https​://
doi.org/10.1016/j.jclep​ro.2010.04.015
2. Ikponmwosa E, Fapohunda C, Kolajo O, Eyo O (2015) Structural
behaviour of bamboo-reinforced foamed concrete slab contain-
ing polyvinyl wastes (PW) as partial replacement of fine aggre-
gate. J King Saud Univ Eng Sci. https​://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksue​
s.2015.06.005
3. Lima HC, Willrich FL, Barbosa NP, Rosa MA, Cunha BS (2008)
Durability analysis of bamboo as concrete reinforcement. Mater
Struct 41:981–989. https​://doi.org/10.1617/s1152​7-007-9299-9
4. Ghavami K (2008) Bamboo: low cost and energy saving con-
struction materials. In: Xiao Y, Inoue M, Paudel S (eds) Modern
bamboo structures. London, UK, pp 5–21
5. Dey A, Chetia N (2018) Experimental study of bamboo reinforced
concrete beams having various frictional properties. Mater Today
Proc 5:436–444. https​://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr​.2017.11.103
6. Karthik S, Rao PRM, Awoyera PO (2017) Strength properties
of bamboo and steel reinforced concrete containing manufac-
tured sand and mineral admixtures. J King Saud Univ Eng Sci
29(4):400–406. https​://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksue​s.2016.12.003
7. Karthik S, Rao RM, Awoyera P, Akinwumi I, Karthikeyan T,
Revathi A, Mathivanan J, Manikandan V, Saravanan S (2018)
Beneficiated pozzolans as cement replacement in bamboo-rein-
forced concrete: the intrinsic characteristics. Innov Infrastruct
Solut 3:50. https​://doi.org/10.1007/s4106​2-018-0157-0
8. Awoyera PO, Ede AN (2017) Bamboo versus tubular steel scaf-
folding in construction: pros and cons. In: Reference module in
materials science and materials engineering. Elsevier, Amsterdam
9. Ede A, Olofinnade O, Awoyera P (2018) Structural form works
and safety challenges: role of bamboo scaffold on collapse of
reinforced concrete buildings in Nigeria. Int J Civ Eng Technol
9:1675–1681
10. Moroz JG, Lissel SL, Hagel MD (2014) Performance of bam-
boo reinforced concrete masonry shear walls. Constr Build Mater
61:125–137. https​://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbu​ildma​t.2014.02.006
11. Laroque P (2007) Design of a low-cost bamboo footbridge. Mas-
sachusetts Institute of Technology
12. Janssen J (2000) Designing and building with bamboo: INBAR
Technical Report 20. Beijing, China
Wuan LH, Valavan S, Nee SS (2017) Enhanced bamboo com-
posite with protective coating for structural concrete application.
Energy Procedia 143:167–172. https​://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypr​
o.2017.12.666
behavior study of newly developed bamboo-composite reinforce-
ment in concrete. Constr Build Mater 122:110–117. https​://doi.
org/10.1016/j.conbu​ildma​t.2016.06.084
15. Ghavami K (2005) Bamboo as reinforcement in structural con-
crete elements. Cem Concr Compos 27:637–649. https​://doi.
org/10.1016/j.cemco​ncomp​.2004.06.002
16. Agarwal A, Nanda B, Maity D (2014) Experimental investigation
on chemically treated bamboo reinforced concrete beams and col-
umns. Constr Build Mater 71:610–617. https​://doi.org/10.1016/j.
conbu​ildma​t.2014.09.011
17. Awoyera PO, Adesina A (2017) Structural integrity assessment
of bamboo for construction purposes. In: Reference module in
materials science and materials engineering. Elsevier, Amsterdam
18. Shen W, Liu Y, Wang Z, Cao L, Wu D, Wang Y, Ji X (2018) Influ-
ence of crushed sand’s characteristics on its concrete performance.
Constr Build Mater 172:574–583. https:​ //doi.org/10.1016/j.conbu​
ildma​t.2018.03.139
19. Shen W, Liu Y, Cao L, Huo X, Yang Z, Zhou C, He P, Lu Z (2017)
Mixing design and microstructure of ultra high strength concrete
with crushed sand. Constr Build Mater 143:312–321. https​://doi.
org/10.1016/j.conbu​ildma​t.2017.03.092
20. IS 2386 (2002) Method of test for aggregate for concrete. Indian
Stand
21. IS 6874 (2008) Method of test for bamboo
22. IS 456 (2000) Plain and reinforced concrete-code of practice
23. IS 13311-1 (1992) Method of Non-destructive testing of concret,
part 1: ultrasonic pulse velocity
24. IS: 516 (1959) Method of tests for strength of concrete
25. Agarwal A, Nanda B, Maity D (2014) Experimental investigation
on chemically treated bamboo reinforced concrete beams and col-
umns. Constr Build Mater 71:610–617. https​://doi.org/10.1016/j.
conbu​ildma​t.2014.09.011
26. Awoyera P (2016) Nonlinear finite element analysis of steel fibre-
reinforced concrete beam under static loading. J Eng Sci Technol
11:1–9
13