Experimental and analytical investigations on flexural behavior of bamboo beams strengthened with steel bars

Abstract

The embedding of steel bars is proposed to enhance the load-bearing performance of bamboo beams. Based on laboratory tests, the bending behavior of bamboo beams reinforced with steel bars or prestressed steel bars was analyzed using finite element software. Comparing the finite element simulation results with those measured in tests, it can be found that the load–displacement curves coincide with each other, and the strain development processes in the mid-span are basically the same. The prediction by the finite element simulation has good accuracy. The embedding of steel bars and prestressed steel bars can effectively improve the ultimate bearing capacity (up to 27.0%), bending stiffness at the serviceability limit state (up to 42.61%), ductility (up to 22.9%), and material utilization efficiency (up to 34.1%) for the bamboo beams. The embedding of steel bars makes the bamboo in the compression zone of the beams develop with higher efficiency, and applying the prestress for steel bars can produce reverse bending deformation and reduce the actual deflection for the reinforced bamboo beam under service load. Under the same reinforcement ratio, the prestress level has a relatively small influence on the ultimate bearing capacity (up to 4.5%) and stiffness (up to 4.5%) of the reinforced beam.

Effect of temperature on compressive mechanical properties and strength design index of reconstituted bamboo

“…According to the results in Table 5, a mathematical model that considers the standard value of compressive strength, the design value of compressive strength, and temperature is established, as shown in Equation (14).…”

“…Compared with other biomass materials, such as timber, bamboo has green, low‐carbon, energy‐saving, ecological, and environmental protection characteristics 1 and has excellent mechanical properties of fiber‐reinforced polymers 2–6 . In recent years, studies have indicated that bamboo engineering materials are suitable not only for decoration and furniture but also for building structures 7–11 and have been generally utilized in pedestrian bridges, residential buildings, and landscape buildings 12–15 . In bamboo engineering materials, reconstituted bamboo has excellent mechanical properties, 16–18 which is a research hotspot for new biomass engineering materials.…”

“…[2][3][4][5][6] In recent years, studies have indicated that bamboo engineering materials are suitable not only for decoration and furniture but also for building structures [7][8][9][10][11] and have been generally utilized in pedestrian bridges, residential buildings, and landscape buildings. [12][13][14][15] In bamboo engineering materials, reconstituted bamboo has excellent mechanical properties, [16][17][18] which is a research hotspot for new biomass engineering materials.…”

Bending properties and design strength of reconstituted bamboo at different temperatures

“…Liu et al [ 39 ] evaluated the influence of high temperature on the physical and mechanical properties of reconstituted bamboo. Zhu et al [ 21 ] analyzed the change rule of the microstructure of reconstituted bamboo in a high‐temperature environment.…”

“…Bamboo is different from wood, [11][12][13][14] is a natural functionally graded material, [15][16][17][18] with its basic mechanical properties being related to bamboo species, structure, composition, and other factors. [19][20][21] The mechanical properties of bamboo change with age, vertical height, and the number of horizontal layers, [22,23] and the mechanical properties of its outer layer are significantly higher than those of its inner layer. [24] The strength of bamboo is related not only to its lamellar structure but also to the average bundle number [25] and the fiber volume fraction of the nodes.…”