Numerical investigation of steel reinforced bamboo scrimber beams.
Loading...
Date
2023
Authors
Mulongo, Mweetwa
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
In recent years, the world is gradually shifting away from the use of structural concrete in
the construction sector. This is due to its retrogressive limitations such as costs,
environmental degradation, low strength-to-weight ratio, its susceptibility to cracking.
The world is moving towards "Green" technology, which incorporates a sustainability
component due to the materials being natural and renewable. The main concentration is
now on natural materials like bamboo scrimber which is a composite material and by product of the bamboo grass. Before it is certified safe for structural use, there is a need
to determine its strength characteristics i.e., by experimental and numerical methods.
Costly numerous laboratory experiments on the flexural capacity of Steel Reinforced
Bamboo Scrimber (SRBS) Beams have been conducted, but very little has been done on
cost-effective numerical models. As such due to this deficiency, this study focuses on the
use of rapid numerical methods for analysing the flexural capacity of SRBS beams.
In this study a simplified mechanical model of a four-point bending test involving a Steel
Reinforced Bamboo Scrimber Beam with epoxy resin as an adhesive material between the
steel and Bamboo Scrimber is presented based on previous experiments. The results show
that the reinforced beams fail due to rupturing of the bottom tensile Bamboo fibres; no
significant yielding failure occurs in the top compression zone. The flexural capacity of
the reinforced beams increases linearly with an increasing reinforcement ratio and can be
enhanced compared with that of control beams.
The reinforced bamboo beams were modelled and analysed using a three-dimensional
finite element model based on ABAQUS software to simulate the bending test. The
flexural rigidity, load-deflection curves, and load-strain curves were compared between
the analytical and experimental results. After model verification, additionally, the
mechanical properties of the epoxy resin, diameter of the steel bars, mechanical properties
of the steel bars etc. were parameterized, and the influence rules for each parameter were
determined.
The flexural rigidity of reinforced bamboo beams is calculated using the cross-sectional
strain and stress distributions, and the suggested models are found to offer appropriate
predictions for the reinforced bamboo beams. Steel-reinforced bamboo scrimber beams
can thus be used for long-span, heavy-load bamboo structural engineering. This
exploratory investigation will aid in the design, fabrication, and use of bamboo-based
structural composite materials in practical engineering.
Description
Thesis
Keywords
Industrial design--Environmental aspects. , Green technology.