ABSTRACT
To investigate the flexural behavior of steel-bamboo composite beams composed of different kinds of bamboo plates, two types of composite beams are proposed that cold-formed thin-walled steel is respectively combined with the reconstituted bamboo and bamboo plywood by structural adhesive to form I-section composite beams. Taking bamboo plate thickness, steel thickness, sectional height and flange width as parameters, bending tests of 18 specimens were conducted. Comparison of failure mode, bearing capacity and the overall performance were carried out. Results showed that the overall performance of the two kinds of composite beams is good, the composite effect and the bearing capacity is prominent, as well as the ductility. The failure modes of steel-reconstituted bamboo composite beams are comparatively simple, while the failure modes of steel-bamboo plywood composite beams are varied. The bearing capacity of composite beams is closely related to the mechanical properties of the bamboo plates and it is effectively improved with the increase of bamboo plate thickness, steel thickness, sectional height and flange width, meanwhile the increase of steel-bamboo plywood composite beam is more significant than steel-reconstituted bamboo composite beam under the same condition. For composite beams with same parameters, bearing capacities of steel-reconstituted bamboo composite beams under the serviceability limit state and ultimate state is about 35% higher than the steel-bamboo plywood composite beams.
