EFFECTS OF AGE AND HEIGHT ON PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF BAMBOO

Abstract

KAMRUZZAMAN, M., SAHA, S. K., BOSE, A. K. & ISLAM, M. N. 2008. Effects of age and height on
physical and mechanical properties of bamboo. Bamboo is an important raw material for housing, bridge
construction and other purposes in Bangladesh. Due to acute scarcity of timber for housing, bamboo is
important as a substitute both at the village and urban levels. A sufficient knowledge of the physical and
mechanical properties of bamboo ensures safe design for materials used in service. In this study, some
physical and mechanical properties (at different heights and three ages) of four bamboo species, viz. Bambusa
balcooa, B. tulda, B. salarkhanii and Melocanna baccifera, grown in the southwestern part of Bangladesh were
investigated. Bambusa balcooa had the highest moisture content in green condition. Moisture content at
different height positions was different for all the bamboo species. However, moisture content was not
different with age in all the species. Density for different age groups was only different for B. salarkhanii
and M. baccifera. Melocanna baccifera had the highest density but the lowest shrinkage of culm wall thickness.
Height and age had almost no effects on the modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR).
The highest MOE and MOR were observed in M. baccifera.