ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: Bamboo is one of the oldest and most versatile building materials with many applications in the field of construction, particularly in developing countries. It is strong and lightweight and can often be used without processing or finishing. Bamboo constructions are easy to build, resilient to wind and even earthquake forces, and readily repairable in the event of damage. Associated products such as bamboo based panels and bamboo reinforced concrete also find applications in the construction process. In spite of these clear advantages, the use of bamboo has been largely restricted to temporary structures and lower grade buildings due to limited natural durability, difficulties in jointing, a lack of structural design data and exclusion from building codes. The diminishing wood resource and restrictions imposed on felling in natural forests, particularly in the tropics, have focused world attention on the need to identify a substitute material which should be renewable, environmentally friendly and widely available. In view of its rapid growth, a ready adaptability to most climatic and edaphic conditions and properties superior to most juvenile fast growing wood, bamboo emerges as a very suitable alternative. However, in order to exploit fully the potential of bamboo as a construction material, development effort should be directed at the key areas of preservation, jointing, structural design and codification.
