Engineered bamboo
{{Short description|Composite material made of bamboo}}
Engineered bamboo is a set of composite products produced from bamboo. It is designed to be a replacement for wood{{cite book|title=Modern bamboo structures: proceedings of First International Conference on Modern Bamboo Structures|author1=Yan Xiao |author2=Masafumi Inoue |author3=Shyam K. Paudel |year=2008|isbn=978-0415475976|publisher=CRC Press|author1-link=Yan Xiao }} or engineered wood, but is used only when high load bearing strength is not required{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/101916202/Going-Green-A-Handbook-of-Sustainable-Housing-Practices-in-Developing-Countries |author=Wan Tarmeze Wan Ariffin|publisher=University of Birmingham|title=Numerical Analysis of Bamboo and Laminated Bamboo Strip Lumber (PhD paper)|date=March 2005|access-date=2012-04-03 }} because building standards for this type of use have not been agreed by regulatory bodies.{{cite web|url=http://www.inbar.int/Board.asp?BoardID=147 |title=Sustainable building: Building Codes |publisher=International Network for Bamboo and Rattan |access-date=2012-04-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130063112/http://www.inbar.int/Board.asp?BoardID=147 |archive-date=2012-01-30 }} Engineered bamboo comes in several different forms, including bamboo scrimber and laminated bamboo,{{cite journal |title=Engineered bamboo: state of the art|author1=B. Sharma |author2=A. Gatoo |author3=M. Bock |author4=H. Mulligan |author5=M. Ramage |date= October 2014 |journal= Proceedings of the ICE - Construction Materials |doi=10.1680/coma.14.00020 |volume=168 |issue=2 |pages=57–67}} which has three times the structural capacity as normal timber{{cite web |url=http://www.architerials.com/2010/03/my-boo-lamboo/ |author=Wu Xing |access-date=May 28, 2013 |date=March 31, 2010 |publisher=Architerials |title=My Boo (Lamboo) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609112532/http://www.architerials.com/2010/03/my-boo-lamboo/ |archive-date=June 9, 2013 |url-status=dead }} and is defined and regulated by the ASTM International Standards.{{cite web |url=http://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-trends-press-releases/Lamboo-Inc-Recognized-Within-ASTM-International-Standards-191449271.html?view=all#sthash.0Nn2aAt2.dpbs |title=Lamboo Inc. Recognized Within ASTM International Standards|access-date=July 23, 2013 |date=August 16, 2012 |website=Woodworking Network}}
Engineered bamboo has been used as paneling, vehicle beds, concrete formworks, lightweight building construction{{cite book|title=Structural Adequacy of Traditional Bamboo Housing in Latin America|author=Jorge A. Gutiérrez|publisher=National Laboratory for Materials and Structural Models, Civil Engineering Department, University of Costa Rica|year=2000|isbn=8186247440}} and even for shelters after the 2004 tsunami.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4527640.stm|publisher=BBC|date=18 December 2005|author=Subir Bhaumik|title=Andaman tsunami victims still homeless|access-date=2012-04-03}} In comparison to the woods that have been traditionally used, a number of benefits and drawbacks have been identified. Lower cost, especially when replacing wood that would otherwise have been imported, is a key advantage.{{cite book|title=Silvicultural management of bamboo in the Philippines and Australia for shoots and timber|publisher=Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research|author=Merlyn Carmelita N. Rivera|page=11}} Further benefits include greater hardness and shape retention, especially in high temperatures.{{cite journal|title=Bamboo composites: Material of the future|author1=Bansal, Arun K. |author2=Zoolagud, S.S.|volume=1|number=2|year=2002|pages=119–130|journal=Journal of Bamboo and Rattan|doi=10.1163/156915902760181595|doi-access=free}}
However, bamboo is not as resilient as most woods and will decay more rapidly than other woods if not treated with preservatives.{{cite journal|title=Preservation of bamboo structures|journal=Ghana Journal of Forestry|volume=15|page=156|year=2004|author=W Liese}}
New building methods have had to be developed for engineered bamboo as its properties are sufficiently different, and make normal wood-working methods used with (non-engineered) bamboo unsuitable.{{cite web|title=\"Work in Progress – Pushover Test of Bamboo Portal Frame Structure\" |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228451834 |author1=Bhavna Sharma|author2=Kent A. Harries|author3=Khosrow Ghavami|publisher=University of Pittsburgh }}
In order to overcome the typical loss of strength bamboo incurs when bending takes place post-harvest, an alternative method to overcome this has been developed.
Pre-harvest bending of the bamboo stems in zig-zags, allows the bamboo to later form a Warren truss.
Cassandra Adams.
[http://www.networkearth.org/naturalbuilding/bamboo.html "Bamboo Architecture and Construction with Oscar Hidalgo"].
Alexander Vittouris has proposed a much simpler 2D S-bend shape, which—after harvesting, and in sufficient quantities—could be assembled into a variety of 3D shapes. The arboriculture technique used to make both shapes is similar to tree shaping, and result in parts similar to woodworking knees.Alexander Vittouris and Mark Richardson.
[http://www.velomobileseminar.com/downloads/Vittouris_Design-diversity.pdf "Designing for Velomobile Diversity: Alternative opportunities for sustainable personal mobility"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916212029/http://www.velomobileseminar.com/downloads/Vittouris_Design-diversity.pdf |date=2012-09-16 }}.
"Section 4.4: Structural pre-harvest deformation of bamboo".
Kimberley Mok.
[http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/ajiro-bamboo-velobike-a-grown-vehicle-thats-farmed-not-factory-made.html "Ajiro Bamboo Velobike: A "Grown Vehicle" That's Farmed, Not Factory-Made"].
2011.
Brit Liggett.
[http://inhabitat.com/the-ajiro-bamboo-bike-is-grown-straight-from-the-ground/ "The Ajiro Bamboo Bike is Grown From the Ground Up"].
2011.
Stephen Cauchi.
[http://www.theage.com.au/national/bamboozled-give-it-a-grow-20110716-1hj0w.html "Bamboozled? Give it a grow"]
2011.