Experimental investigations on mechanical properties and column buckling behavior of structural bamboo

Bamboo, a fast‐growing natural material with a high strength‐to‐weight ratio, provides an environmentally friendly alternative for building construction. This paper presents experimental studies on natural bamboo and glued laminated bamboo (GLB) products in order to provide fundamental knowledge for the structural design of bamboo buildings. Tensile coupon tests and compressive tests were conducted on small clear specimens, and bending tests were conducted to evaluate the bending strength and modulus of elasticity for GLB beams. It was found that tensile strength in the transverse direction was very low. Therefore, in practical applications, it is recommended that the transverse loading in GLB should be addressed very carefully. Compressive axial tests were conducted to investigate the buckling behavior of natural Julong bamboo (Dendrocalamus giganteus). A sample design procedure against buckling was proposed on the basis of the test results. The mechanical properties and buckling analysis presented in this paper may provide guidance for more structural applications of bamboo in building constructions with enhanced structural performance. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.