ABSTRACT
This study investigated the mechanical properties of bamboo-cane reinforced concrete beams compared to steel reinforced beams, aiming to assess their suitability in construction. Bamboo sourced from a local site and cane from a kiosk were used, while steel rods were obtained from a local welder. Beams were formed with bamboo-cane and steel reinforcements, alongside unreinforced concrete beams for comparison.
Results from mechanical tests showed that steel reinforced beams exhibited the highest strength against external forces, with values ranging from 27.5KN to 36.4KN in the ultimate failure load test. In comparison, bamboo-cane reinforced beams ranked second, demonstrating a range of 10KN to 18KN, about 11% less than steel reinforced beams. Unreinforced concrete beams showed the least strength, with values ranging from 4.8KN to 7.5KN. Further analysis revealed that in the split tensile test, steel reinforced concrete beams displayed the highest values, ranging from 4,200N/mm² to 5,200N/mm², while bamboo reinforced concrete beams exhibited values of 2,400 N/mm² to 3,800N/mm². Unreinforced concrete beams had values from 700N/mm² to 1,600N/mm². Similarly, in the modulus of rupture test, steel reinforced beams recorded the highest values, exceeding 20,000 N/mm². Bamboo reinforced beams had values ranging from 7,500 N/mm² to 13,500 N/mm², while unreinforced beams had the lowest values ranging from 2,500 N/mm² to 5,725 N/mm².
Overall, bamboo-cane reinforced beams showed values close to steel reinforced beams and higher than unreinforced beams, with about 11% less strength than steel reinforced beams and approximately 10% greater strength than unreinforced concrete beams. These findings are consistent with existing literature, suggesting the potential for bamboo-cane reinforced beams as alternatives to steel reinforced ones in low-rise construction applications.
