Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The world timber demand is increasing at a rapid rate but the timber supply is depleting. It’s
been found through research that bamboo can suitably replace timber and other materials in
construction and other works. Industrially treated bamboo has shown great potential for
production of composite materials and components which are cost-effective and can be
successfully utilized for structural and non-structural applications in construction. Bamboo is one
of the oldest traditional building materials used by mankind.
The bamboo culm, or stem, has been made into an extended diversity of products ranging
from domestic household products to industrial applications. Examples of bamboo products are
food containers, handicrafts, toys, furniture, flooring, pulp and paper, boats, charcoal, musical
instruments and weapons. Bamboo is quite common for bridges, scaffolding and housing, but it
is usually used as a temporary exterior structural material. In many overly populated regions of
the tropics, certain bamboos supply the one suitable material that is sufficiently cheap and
plentiful to meet the extensive need for economical housing. It has been used in bicycles,
windmills, scales etc. Its uses are broad and plentiful.
With the advancement of science and technology and the tight supply of timber, new
methods are needed for the processing of bamboo to make it more durable and more usable in
terms of building materials. Studies have been carried out on the basic properties and on
processing of bamboo into various kinds of composite products. Bamboo has several unique
advantages like ability to grow fast with a high yield and also it matures quickly. Additionally
bamboo can be grown abundantly and that too at a lower cost which makes it more economical.
Types of Preservatives:
Coal Tar Creosote -This is a fraction of coal tar distillate with a boiling point range above
200°C and is widely used admixed with fuel oil in the ratio of 50:50. The fuel oil ensures
stability to creosote against evaporation and bleeding from the treated bamboos. Creosote has
high performance; it is non-corrosive and provides good protection from termites.
Copper Chrome Arsenic Composition - A typical composition of this preservative comprises of
coppersulphate, arsenic pentoxide and sodium or potassium dichromate in proportion of 3:
1:4.
Copper Chrome Boric Composition: A typical composition of the preservative
comprises boric acid, copper sulphate and sodium or potassium dischromate in the proportion of
1: 5: 3: 4.
Copper Chrome Zinc Arsenic Composition - A typical composition of this preservative
comprises 28 parts of arsenic acid 25 parts of sodium arsenate, 17 parts of sodium dichromate
and 30 parts of zinc sulphate.
Chromated Zinc Chloride - This consist of zinc-chloride and sodium or potassium dichromate
in the ratio of 81.5: 18.5.
Boric Acid Borax - This has been used successfully against lyctus borers. A mixture of 2:5
percent of each is found more suitable.
Methods of Treatment:
Surface Application: this is done by brushing, spraying or dipping of timber in preservative
solution for the required period.
Soaking process: the debarked timber is submerged in the preservative solution for sufficient
period till the desired absorption is obtained.
Hot & Cold process: timber is preserved in the solution and then heated to temperature of
about 900C and maintained at this temperature for suitable period and then cooled until required
absorption is obtained.
Boucherie process: it makes use of water soluble preservatives and hydraulic pressure.
Pressure process: it can be employed to any type of preservative and is used where maximum
absorption of the preservative is required.
5.0 Conclusion:
Scientific studies have shown that Bamboo can satisfy the various structural requirements
and also due to its technical performance Bamboo can be used as a construction material for
various structural components. The important advantages which make Bamboo a more suitable
material are:
It is economical and helps achieve cost effective construction.
Bamboo is a fast growing species and it is a renewable resource which can be cultivated in
most types of soil.
The designs of the components being simple, there is no need of highly skilled labour.
The dependency on the natural forests for wood will be reduced thus contributing to the
protection of the environment.
As it can grow in many types of soil, bamboo cultivation is suitable for rehabilitation of
degraded forests and other waste lands thus converting them into fertile lands to some extent.
Creation of employment opportunities especially for the rural people as the Bamboo mats have
to be manually woven before making them into Bamboo Mat Boards, Bamboo Mat Veneer
Composites and Bamboo Mat Corrugated Sheets.
Thus due to all the above aspects there will be overall welfare of the society, particularly of the
economically weaker section.