Building Construction & Materials

School of Architecture, Kashmir

Semester 7 | 2021
Material: Bamboo
Reinforcing with Bamboo
Cement Mortar Reinforced with Bamboo Fibres

Lifespan of bamboo fibres in cement mortar: extremely limited.

Alkalinity of cement destroys pectin of cellulose.
Some examples of corrugated fibre cement tiles, or panels.

Concrete Elements Reinforced with Bamboo Canes

Bamboo stalks, instead of steel reinforcement in concrete: not usually successful.

Not enough friction between the parts, due to bamboo’s smooth surface.
Twisted bamboo saplings more successful.
Some examples where bamboo canes are coated with a solution of sodium silicate, or canes cut in half
without removing diaphragm: increases friction.
Reinforcing with Bamboo

Walls Reinforced with Bamboo

In Chan Chan, Peru ( 850-1425 AD),
royal residences: protected by
tapered walls of adobe or rammed
earth.
2.5M wide at base, 9M high,
reinforced with bamboo.
Vertical expansion joints every 5M .
Reinforcing with Bamboo
Walls Reinforced with Bamboo

Abode walls stabilized with bamboo against earthquakes with bamboo canes.
Reinforcing with Bamboo
Walls Reinforced with Bamboo

System of bamboo-reinforced
rammed clay, can move
independently during earthquakes.
Reinforcing with Bamboo
Walls Reinforced with Bamboo

Bamboo canes used to stabilize straw bale walls.

Also used as reinforcement is wattle and daub system.
Tools and their Uses
Exterior layer of bamboo very hard: use saws meant for cutting metal.
Saws meant for wood become blunt.
Tools and their Uses
Holes made using drills or hole saw.
High speed and low pressure to prevent edges cracking.
Tools and their Uses

Using hole saw to make ‘fish mouth’ Polishing the cut with rotating roller of
sandpaper.
 Tools and their Uses

Finishing with chisel and mechanical polisher

Tools and their Uses

Specially designed tools to cut through

longitudinal fibres, in addition to knives,
machetes.
Tools and their Uses

Bending bamboo around a barrel, warmed at a higher temperature.

Recommendations: soak in water for some time, becomes more flexible.
Tools and their Uses

Nodes of cut canes removed with chisel

Tools and their Uses

To produce planks, axes used to cut open the canes and other tools used to remove nodes