Edinburgh Napier University

  Around half of all non-renewable resources mankind consumes are used in construction sector, making it one of the least sustainable industries in the world. Therefore, it is vital to explore and identify renewable and sustainable construction material. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth, within eight years bamboo stalks reaches maturity with a comparable strength to wood. It is very strong, biodegradable and highly renewable. These characteristics make the bamboo a suitable construction material.
The aim of this research in to identify the potential capacity of engineered bamboo as an alternative to commonly used engineered woods, individually or as a composite material. Several lab tests will be carried out to investigate the mechanical and physical characteristics of engineered bamboo and a composite materials made of engineered bamboo.