Analysis of Calcutta bamboo for structural composite materials: physical and mechanical properties

The objective of this study was to determine the technical feasibility of producing a structural composite from Calcutta bamboo. The first article on surface characteristics published in this series addressed pH, buffer capacity, wetting, and surface energy (Ahmad and Kamke 2003). In this paper, the physical and mechanical characteristics were considered for their variability with respect to location along the length of the bamboo culm, nodes versus internodes section, and radial versus tangential directions. The physical and mechanical characteristics were also compared to timber species commonly used in the manufacture of structural composites. The characteristics studied were found to have some variability at different locations, sections, and directions. Calcutta bamboo was found to have similar physical and mechanical characteristics to commercial timber species in Malaysia and North America.