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Posted by Kris Krieger on July 1, 2008, 1:53 am
>
>>
>>>
>>>> I'm working on a design for a glass piece and was searching for
>>>> Bamboo pics, and came across a few links to Bamboo Buildings, and
>>>> related design innovations.
>
>>>> [...]
>
>> Inknow that the exterior surface is very hard, but I geuss that it's
>> low permeability doesn't translate to longevity as a structural
>> element... OTOH, tho', isn't exposed wood pretty much the same?
>> What would the situation be if giant bamboos (some of them develop a
>> dimaeter greater than that of most of the wood I've seen used for
>> building houses...) were usedto replace teh "stick" part in "stick
>> built" houses? Being protected by sheating and so on, would it not
>> last as long as wood? Or is the main probelm that it can't take
>> nails, or some other quirk of the material?
>
> Never actually tried connecting bamboo structures together other than
> by the traditional method, eg vine lashing. This is time-consuming
> even if the vine is plentiful, but helps to prevent splitting,
> provides a torsion joint etc.
I noted what you said below about it slitting under a nail gun, and nails
tending to slip and fly off. Now I know ;)
OTOH, maybe strapping...? As you noted, those websites (with the bamboo
buildings) didn't seem to go into the joining methods.
>
>> Babmoo grows so much faster than trees that it seems <?> like it
>> ought to be a potential material that could ease some of the stress
>> placed upon forests.
>
> It's not that hard to make durable particle board out of sugar cane
> residue (bagass). Just requires a bit of natural or synthetic rubber,
> a small amount of tepol and a press. So bamboo has to have potential
> as a fibre base at least.
They do make fabric out of it, as with wood. It's very soft to the
touch, not as sticky in humidity as silk, much more supple than linen. I
assume there are also bamboo-based paper products. Versatile stuff.
>
>>> [...]
>
>> What if the bottoms were set into cement or otherwise sealed? Can
>> the termites still chew easily through the outside? Can they get
>> through it more easily than they can get through wood?
>
> Went out to have a look - no, they leave it alone unless there's a
> split, But the experiment was flawed - there was some untreated pine
> in the same area, and that's what they prefer. But termites are
> unpredictable critters. Around here they seem to be able to work
> through hair-line cracks in concrete slabs.
Them and ants. They don't know enough to give up - if one doesn't make
it, there are billions more behind it. Termites and ants are also
significant pests here (Gulf Coast area).
> In one case, they went up
> the frame and ate the paper covering to the gypsum board ceiling. A
> few years ago they started on the underground electricity cables -
> main supply stuff out in the road reserve. No issues yet with
> mass-concrete post bases. With these, they track up the concrete
> upstand and are easy to see.
Oh, joy :p
>
> The best protection seems to be vigilance, or a drum or two of the
> stuff you're not supposed to use any more ...
Seriously.
But, given their difficulties with intact bamboo, it'd be something if it
was more adaptable to differnt building techniques. I guess it's alerady
been well-researched.
>
>>> [...]
>
>> But looking at how places are built, I have to wonder whetehr large-
>> diameter bamboo might not be a possible replacement for, or adjunct
>> to, standard building wood? Maybe the joining methods are
>> problematic? I don't know whetehr bamboo can withstand being nailed
>> or even screwed.
>
> It certainly splits if you hit it with a framing gun, and sometimes
> the nails shoot off sideways.
> The bamboo building websites don't seem to show how the stuff is
> joined together :-)
>
Too bad :(
I'll try to remember to look into it more - it's IMO an interesting idea.
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