(Part 2)

Be that as it may, do the people really trust bamboo’s safety in the first place? Durability is by far the most concerned reason when it comes to bamboo construction. Results from a recent survey points that more than one fifth of Malaysians are not ready to accept it for that reason. Bamboo is nevertheless more than what meets the eye. As a matter of fact, it is already used to build countless temporary structures like scaffolding (see Image 3.4) and pavilions (see Image 3.5) in many countries, particularly China and Colombia. But what of permanent structures?

Image 3.4

Bamboo Scaffolding

Image 3.5

Bamboo Pavilion, Taiwan

Thanks to its peerless makeup, bamboo is naturally built for strength and durability. Unlike wood, it has neither ray nor knots, resulting to a greater stress tolerance throughout the length of each stalk. Therefore, it can be employed as wall, roofing, flooring or even structural components. A structural engineering study unravels bamboo’s higher tensile strength over manifold alloys of steel, even possessing higher compressive strength than concrete (Anon, 2004). The science behind came from the age when the culms were harvested. Bamboo grows to its full dimension in a growing season, and spends the coming years hardening their “arteries”, where the capillaries thicken towards the inside without affecting the diameter. What started off as wholly sugar and water lignifies into hard and compact cellulose (see Image 3.6) (Boehland, 2006). These dense fibers give each bamboo their flexible nature, the ability to bend without snapping. It is enough to say that owing to its impressive strength and extereme light weight, it now earned itself the title “organic steel”. Beyond having this, it has a high silica content in its natural state that cannot be digested by termites (Anon, 2004). Unfortunately, we by birth see all natural materials as insects’ dwelling despite without the slightest clue. It is the matter of perception that breeds distrust and possibly fear, worsen by the scarcity of good local bamboo models. In the nick of time, Colombian architects Simon Vélez and Marcelo Villegas erected a 2000 square meters bamboo pavilion (see Image 3.7) to obtain German building permit from the ZERI Foundation in 2000. A series of stress and weight tests was conducted, and the results exceeded the required standards in Germany. In addition, structures of the pavilion require heavy equipments like large wrecking balls to bring down. Since its completion 12 years ago, the pavilion still stands today and is expected to last. In the same survey where repondents initially doubted its strength, nearly all were convinced by the mentioned test. (For full survey results, refer to Appendix I)

Image 3.6

Electron Microscope Photos of Bamboo’s Fiber at One Year (Left) and 12 Years (Right) Show How 

the Loose Network of Fibers Gains Density as it Ages

Image 3.7

Bamboo Pavilion by Simon Velez and Marcelo Villegas

Indeed on the other hand, the downsides are inevitable. Bamboo’s ability to bend without breaking makes it unfitting for floor structure due to the lack of tolerance for deflection. When extended over a large span of area, only a small amount of force is needed to cause wavering. Consequently, it creates discomfort upon walking and the emersion of safety affairs. On a positive note, architects in Colombia uncovered the method to stiffen by filling each bamboo with cement. This way even helps to alleviate bamboo’s inconsistent characteristics as a natural material. But the roundness of bamboo’s natural form too stands in the way because it hints that the joints will be geometrically complicated. Fortunately over the years, Velez has invented countless joineries, notably the “Fish-Mouth” joint (see Image 3.8), which solved this problem faced by numerous modern architects attempting to use bamboo.

Image 3.8

Illustration of Fish-Mouth Joint