Global buckling behaviour of bamboo scrimber box columns under axial compression: Experimental tests and numerical modelling

With the advancement of manufacturing technologies, bamboo scrimber members made of hot pressed plates have been increasingly used in building structures in the form of thin-walled members. However, limited investigations have been conducted on global buckling behaviour of bamboo scrimber members. This paper presents experimental tests and numerical simulations of the global buckling behaviour of bamboo scrimber columns. Six groups of box columns with different slendernesses were tested under axial compression. The buckling resistance and failure mode of columns were obtained. Test results showed that due to the inelastic stress-strain relationship of bamboo scrimber, most of the box columns exhibited inelastic global buckling, with significant lateral deflections at failure. Comparisons were made between experimental results and design equations in existing codes for glulam structures to evaluate the applicability of the design equations to bamboo scrimber columns. Besides, numerical simulations were also performed for bamboo scrimber columns under axial compression, in which the nonlinear stress strain relationship and geometric imperfections were incorporated. Numerical results showed that the model could predict the global buckling resistance of columns with reasonably good accuracy. Based on the numerical model, parametric studies were conducted on the effect of column slenderness on the buckling resistance. Finally, design recommendations were proposed for bamboo scrimber columns against global buckling.