Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Mechanical Properties of Novel Bamboo-Timber and Bamboo Composites for Sustainable Construction

This research examines the mechanical behaviour of laminated bamboo and hybrid bamboo timber composites that were developed as sustainable alternatives to conventional construction materials. Thirty-six specimens were manufactured using a novel combination of bamboo and pinewood strips. The specimens were fabricated using cold press and hydraulic press techniques and bonded with bio-epoxy and polyvinyl acetate adhesives. The hybrid configuration with alternating bamboo and timber layers was fabricated to improve stress transfer, interfacial bonding, and dimensional stability while maintaining the environmental advantages of bio-based materials. Three mechanical tests were conducted using a universal testing machine (UTM). The mechanical tests consist of compression parallel to the grain, compression perpendicular to the grain, and flexure in accordance with ISO 22157 and ASTM D143 (with adjustments) in order to determine the modulus of elasticity, the compressive strength, and the bending capacity of the proposed composites. The experimental results showed that the manufactured composites performed as well as or better than the commercial bamboo and pure natural softwood references. The cold-pressed bamboo epoxy specimens reached an average modulus of elasticity of about 11.6 GPa and exceeded the commercial sample by approximately 35 percent. In compression perpendicular to the grain, the engineered bamboo groups achieved higher strength and load capacity, while the composites remained comparable to the commercial sample. In flexural testing, the bamboo bonded with bio-epoxy was the only group that clearly outperformed the commercial bamboo sample by 40 percent, and the remaining groups showed comparable bending response, which indicates a consistent and reliable behaviour across the laminate types. Numerical models developed using ABAQUS 2025 software reproduced the experimental force-displacement and stress-strain curves with excellent agreement, which validates the adopted material properties and boundary conditions and supports the use of the model for predictive design. These findings confirm that the proposed laminated bamboo and bamboo timber composites' outstanding mechanical properties make them a viable material for future sustainable construction applications.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.Sc. Physics

Level thesis:degree_level

Master

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Faculty of Mathematics and Science

Department dc:contributor.department

Department of Physics

Grantor dc:publisher

Brock University

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Jafarnia, Nima

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Mofidi, Amir

• TECHNOLOGY::Engineering mechanics::Construction engineering
• TECHNOLOGY::Engineering mechanics::Mechanical manufacturing engineering
• Engineered bamboo
• Bamboo and timber composites
• TECHNOLOGY::Engineering mechanics::Solid mechanics

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10464/19904

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:brocku.scholaris.ca:10464/19904