PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE BAMBUSA VULGARIS AS CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL

ABSTRACT

The fabrication of traditional construction materials consumes a large amount of energy, emits pollutants, and utilizes nonrenewable raw materials. Therefore, it is important to reduce the environmental impact of construction through the use of eco-friendly materials, such as bamboo. This work presents the characterization of Bambusa vulgaris, which is widely available in Brazil. The aim is to employ this raw material as a construction material. The geometric and physical properties were obtained. The results showed that, when bamboo is soaked in water, dimensional variations up to 7% were observed along the radial direction. The mechanical properties depend on the moisture content. The compressive strength can exceed 60 MPa with approximately 7% moisture content, while the tensile strength can exceed 100 MPa.

KEYWORDS
bamboo; mechanical properties; physical properties; sustainable construction