ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the investigations of building made of bamboo in Vietnam. The experiments in forming longer span gridshells during previous phase of work in Hawai'i were helpful in identifying areas needing further investigation. However, within the limits of time and the bamboo species available for this phase of work, the students were unable to achieve the desired results. An opportunity to test the hypothesis regarding strength and buckling limits presented itself during the trip to Vietnam. The students conducted four tests for forming individual prototype spanning members. The strength and section property differences between Phyllostachys vivax and Bambusa balcooa species correlate to the experimental findings in the prototype test members. In earlier built-up spanning members, additional stiffening had used at the center of the span as a way to cause a shape approximating a funicular form to be developed. Constructing a partial gridshell using Bambusa balcooa would be an obvious test in a future phase of the research.
