Failure Characteristics Associated with Compressive Stress in Gigantochloa Scortechinii Bamboo

Abstract

The failure characteristics of bamboo Gigantochloa scortechinii caused by the effect of artificial compressive stress at 50%, 80% and maximum loading were discussed. The failure characteristics of fibre cell wall damaged by compression test was analysed and related to the anatomical structure of bamboo. This study consisted of microscopic examination on bamboo fibre obtained by sectioning and maceration and observed using Polarised Light Microscopy and Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM).

The results indicate that failure mode in bamboo from compression load parallel to the grain are mainly slip planes observed at different parts of the cell walls. Macroscopic failure was observed mainly after the samples were tested to maximum load. In the 50% samples, very little slip planes were seen while more frequent slip planes were observed from the 80% samples. The difference in slip plane angle measured and number of observations made from different stress loadings could be related to the anisotropic and polylamellated structure of the cell wall in bamboo. This result shows that bamboo requires higher failure loads before slip planes to occur significantly which indicates a strong resistance of bamboo to compressive stress.