Abstract:
Bamboo is available in almost all parts of the world as well as in Sri Lanka. It is a
natural lightweight material. Compared to other natural timber species available, bamboo provides very high strength to weight ratio. In Sri Lanka, bamboo is currently used only for scaffolding and wattle walls. This paper discusses the use of bamboo as a reinforcing material for concrete slab panels. Six numbers of test specimens with sizes of 600mm × 600mm × 100mm were cast. Two samples for each case with different bamboo reinforcement ratios were tested for flexural behaviour. Two slab panels with steel reinforcement were also cast as control test specimens. All specimens were tested
under concentrated loading to evaluate the flexural behaviour of panels and results were compared with control specimens. Experimental results suggested that bamboo can be usedin slabs as an alternative reinforcing material.
