Laminated Bamboo Structures for a Changing World

Many subtropical locales are subject to cyclone force winds, earthquakes and floods. Many have high population growth rates and informal settlement aggregation that create problems of safety from lack of infrastructure and lack of adherence to building codes. These same locales are capable of growing bamboo. Bamboo is generally known as a highly sustainable building material due to its rapid growth cycle and high rate of crop yield. By laminating bamboo, it also becomes a material that is stronger than laminated wood.In developing countries, and indeed in industrialized or post-industrial countries as well, the creation of a local economy that could provide adequate housing solutions in disaster-prone regions would benefit entrepreneurs and disaster victims alike. This paper discusses the design implications of lateral-force resistant and flood adaptive buildings using laminated bamboo structures. Designed as modules stacked up to four levels in height, calculations show laminated bamboo capable of resisting simultaneous 200mph winds and a 9.0 earthquake. The modular construction allows for rapid placement of at-risk or destroyed housing. A methodology for the lamination of bamboo in areas of low or no infrastructure is developed and evaluated for specific locales. The propagation of bamboo with varied bloom cycles is discussed in relation to soil management and pest control. Finally, a comparison of laminated bamboo to western framing is conducted as a method to compare material use for specific designs.

Volume Editors
Anthony Abbate, Francis Lyn & Rosemary Kennedy

ISBN
978-0-935502-90-9