PLASTIGUADUA - NOCMAT 2010

PLASTIGUADUA, Bamboo Composite HECTOR F ARCHILA

1

PLASTIGUADUA, Bamboo Composite.

- A renewable building material. -

Archila, Hector F. 1

1. Architect, National University of Colombia, Bogotá D.C., Colombia,

ABSTRACT

Guadua Angustifolia Kunt is the most important Latin-American bamboo that has been widely used

as alternative building material. Due to its long, strong and elastic nature of fibres, bamboo-Guadua

is known as high resistance to the earthquake.

PLASTIGUADUA is an attempt to develop a sustainable building material that reduce

environmental impacts, assure low cost and energy consumption, and overcome the difficulties of

raw bamboo in jointing, durability and the lack of structural design data and exclusion from buildings

code.

PLASTIGUADUA is a composite material based on Bamboo-Guadua fibres of different types: short

and long fibre, mats, slats, strips and woven, which are used as reinforcement for thermo set

plastics and that mixed with rubber, polyurethane and expanded polystyrene, provide a variety of

new applications as building material.

Preliminary test on panels and structural elements are also reported.

Use of green composites for prefabricated houses as engineered building material with controlled

strength and structural properties from this renewable source is a future opportunity to face up the

challenges of climate change, and a responsibility of industry and designers in the modern built

environment.

INTRODUCTION

Bamboo is known for a wide range of

applications that are commonly made in

China, from chopsticks to building products,

although most of them are not structural but

more decorative.

Guadua Angustifolia Kunt endemic to Latin

America is the largest of Neotropics bamboo

species. Considered the most important

American bamboo from a utilitarian

perspective, is greatly desirable as a building

material.

Research on Guadua Angustifolia Kunt has

increased due to its superior mechanical

properties, as well many others advantages


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such its fast production of woody biomass

than most fast-growing trees (harvesting can

begin about five or six years after planting),

its consistent diameter in the first 9 meters, its

natural design like a segmented tube and its

effectiveness removing carbon dioxide, have

attracted the attention of professionals,

academics, researchers, designers,

craftspeople and artists.

Colombia has been the epicentre of empirical

practices, technical studies and research; a

state university, the National University of

Colombia (Universidad Nacional de

Colombia), has been the leader on this

subject together with other local and

international academic institutions and NGOs.

Among all bamboo species in the world

Guadua is the favourite for architecture and

construction purposes. Reported experiences

in earlier earthquakes in Colombia shown its

earthquake resistance - modern houses

collapsed while many houses built in the first

decades of last century survived -.

Its great content of fibre made Guadua

Angustifolia Kunt a potential fibrous material

(60% to 70% of its weight and 40% to 50% of

total tissue) [5], and that is one of the most

relevant advantages to propose

PLASTIGUADUA, as a Bamboo-Guadua fibre

reinforced composite.

Low energy consumption, low cost, high

specific properties, easily recycle methods

and biodegradable features, are some other

reasons to use these lignocelluloses fibres as

fillers/reinforcements in plastics.

EXPERIMENTATION

Before than a concluded work,

PLASTIGUADUA is the attempt to find new

bamboo associations with other materials

such synthetic resins (polyester resin and

epoxy resin), polystyrene, polyurethane,

latex, and others, with the aim to find new

products, uses and applications, from

different transformation processes.

The main purpose was to find a suitable

material to supply wood uses and able to

beat the typical disadvantages of the raw

Bamboo-Guadua material: such natural

environment action by sun radiation, humidity

and insect plagues.

Polymer, as matrix component provides

protection against fire, abrasion, and

environment actions, and moreover it

contributes to increase the properties of the

fibre reinforcement.

The absorption of moisture by the fibres is

minimized in the composite due to polymer’s

encapsulation. However, chemical

modification with NaOH (sodium hydroxide)

was made to reduce moisture absorption.

Good fibre-matrix bonding can also decrease

the rate and amount of water absorbed by the

composite [6].

PLASTIGUADUA is the combination of these

qualities to improve the properties of the final

Fig.1. PLASTIGUADUA with polyurethane.


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composite material over those of the two

separate components.

Despite the objective was to combine two or

more resources in such a way that a

synergism between the components results in

a new material that is much better than the

individual components [5], more research

have to be carried out.

The different types of PLASTIGUADUA

materials developed are shaped in panel

form, that are well suited to substitute wood

and therefore, development/refinement of

cost-effective technologies to produce

Bamboo-based panels is easier.

Boards were made from different types of

fibres and determined by commercial uses.

Culms were converted into slivers, strips,

laths, veneers, particles and short and long

fibres by mechanical and chemical methods.

TESTING

Laboratory test were made at CITEC

Laboratories, (INNOVATION AND

TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

CENTER) – Andes University, Bogotá -

Colombia.

Test conditions were performed according to

ASTM standards, and approved norms for

NTC (Colombian Technical Norms) in

calibrated equipments and with reliability

margins accredited for ISO 17025.

TTT EEE SSS TTT MMM AAA TTT EEE RRR III AAA LLL RRR EEE PPP OOO RRR TTT

FFlleexxuurree

PLASTIGUADUA L 3013-062

PLASTIGUADUA P 3013-063

TTeennssiillee



IIzzoodd IImmppaacctt



RRoocckkwweellll HHaarrddnneessss



UUVV TTeesstt // CCoonnddeennssaattiioonn FIBROGUADUA-

PLASTIGUADUA 3013-070

WWaatteerr AAbbssoorrppttiioonn PLASTIGUADUA P 3013-071

Fig.2. Different types of PLASTIGUADUA.

Fig.3. PLASTIGUADUA with different types of fibre.

Fig.4. Different types of Bamboo-Guadua fibre.

Table.1. PLASTIGUADUA Testing.


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PLASTIGUADUA L is a composite Bamboo-

Guadua board made of 50% Guadua fibres

(veneers) and 50% of thermoset polymer

(polyester resin).

PLASTIGUADUA P is a composite Bamboo-

Guadua board made of 33,3% Guadua fibres

(short fibre) and 66,6% of thermoset polymer

(polyester resin).

Flexural Testing of PLASTIGUADUA-L

Flexural Testing of PLASTIGUADUA-P

Tensile Testing of PLASTIGUADUA-L

Tensile Testing of PLASTIGUADUA-P

Impact-Izod Testing of PLASTIGUADUA-L

Fig.5. PLASTIGUADUA L (left) PLASTIGUADUA P (right).

Table.3. Flexural test results of PLASTIGUADUA P.

Fig.6. Flexure test on PLASTIGUADUA L.

Table.2. Flexural test results of PLASTIGUADUA L.

Fig.7. Flexure test on PLASTIGUADUA P.

Table.4. Tensile test results of PLASTIGUADUA L.

Table.5. Tensile test results of PLASTIGUADUA P.

Table.6. Impact-Izod test results of PLASTIGUADUA L.


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Impact-Izod Testing of PLASTIGUADUA-P

Rockwell Hardness Testing of

PLASTIGUADUA-L and PLASTIGUADUA-P

UV and Condensation Testing of

FIBROGUADUA (Bamboo-Guadua fibre)

and PLASTIGUADUA

Water Absortion of PLASTIGUADUA-P

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Experimentation with PLASTIGUADUA was

part of the work: Plastiguadua + Arquinauta

[1], that was a Merit awarded dissertation

Table.7. Impact-Izod test results of PLASTIGUADUA P.

Fig.8. Impact-Izod test on PLASTIGUADUA L and P.

Table.8. Rockwell test results of PLASTIGUADUA L and P.

Table.9. UV and condensation test results.

Fig.9. UV and condensation test.

Table.10. Water absorption test results.


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submitted in support of a degree in

Architecture (Universidad Nacional de

Colombia- Bogotá/Colombia).

It is a basic research that explores a wide

range of uses of Bamboo-Guadua and

intends to make sense with its wide variety of

possibilities as a natural material for fibre

reinforced composites (PLASTIGUADUA),

and make the proposal for a new and

unconventional application (ARQUINAUTA).

ARQUINAUTA is the way to make practical

experimentation of the materials proposed by

making a model of a boat.

ARQUINAUTA uses some of the different

types of PLASTIGUADUA, in panel boards,

and in regular and irregular shapes and

surfaces. This model boat shows the wide

range of possible applications of the material

for architectural and construction uses.

Fibre reinforced composite structures can

improve workability, and/or impart desired

properties of Bamboo-Guadua; they offer an

attractive alternative to the more conventional

forms of construction due to its high strength

to weight ratio and resistance to corrosion.

In the past years architects have been using

bamboo in different ways in their designs.

From interior finishes to bamboo

constructions. The application of bamboo in

design is still developing and there are more

new applications to be expected.

Materials that are used in green design are

always assessed for their environmental

impact. Bamboo can replace concrete, steel

or wood, depending on the situation and the

application, although more built examples,

research and dissemination is needed.

Though there is a large interest in Bamboo

building products, most of the applications

are not structural but more decorative. To

make a step forward, from decoration to

structures, certified products are needed.

The building industry is rather traditional and

requires certificates and standards for

building products.

CONCLUSIONS

Longitudinal fibres of Bamboo Guadua

Composites (PLASTIGUADUA) have high

strength, but the poor interfacial strength

between the fibres and thermoset matrix

limits the composite's usefulness.

Natural-fibre combinations offer properties

that can be widely approached. All-natural

composite properties can be enhanced with

additional ingredients in the mix.

The research focused on development of

partially bio-based composites but the key

objective is to reach a completely bio-based

Fig.10. Digital model of ARQUINAUTA.


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composite with a plant-based resin matrix

and natural reinforcement.

Use of bamboo based composites for

prefabricated houses as engineered building

material with controlled strength and

structural properties from renewable sources

is a future opportunity to face up the

challenges of climate change impact, and a

responsibility of designers in the Modern Built

Environment.

It is the way to find new applications and

overcome the disadvantages of the raw

material in the usual applications, but the

knowledge in this subject in Colombia is weak

and this task needs support of internationally

experimented institutes or universities.

REFERENCES

[1] ARCHILA S., HÉCTOR F. PLASTIGUADUA +

ARQUINAUTA, Plástico reforzado con fibras de

Guadua + Construcción flotante. Bogotá. Enero,

2003

[2] GANAPATHY, P.M.; HUAN-MING, Z.; ZOOLAGUD,

S.S.; TURCKE, D.; ESPILOY, Z.B.; Bamboo Panel

Boards, A state of the art review. Technical

Report No.12. INBAR, Beijing - New Delhi -

Eindhoven, 1999.

[3] HIDALGO, O. Bamboo. The gift of the gods.

Bogotá. Edited by Oscar Hidalgo Lopez, 2003.

553 P.

[4] LONDOÑO, X. La Guadua un bambú

importante de América. En Memorias primer

Seminario Bamboo 2001, Guayaquil, Ecuador,

8-10 August.

[5] MORENO M., LUÍS E.; OSORIO S., LINA R.;

TRUJILLO DE LOS RÍOS, EFRAÍN E. Estudio de las

propiedades mecánicas de haces de fibra de

Guadua angustifolia. Manizales. 2006

[6] ROWELL, R.; SANADI, A.; CAULFIELD, D.;

JACOBSON, R.; Utilization of Natural Fibers in

Plastic Composites: Problems and

opportunities. Lignocellulosic - Plastics

Composites. University of Wisconsin, Madison,

E.U., April 15, 1998.

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PLASTIGUADUA - NOCMAT 2010