Guadua Bamboo Construction

Guadua, a new high tech building material?

As a building material, guadua bamboo stands out because of its structural properties, the strength/weight ratio, is one of them.

Guadua bamboo fibers are up to 1 cm long, while those of wood are approximately 2mm long. With a tensile strength up to 40 kN/cm2, Guadua easily surpasses timber fibers (approximately 5 kN/cm2), or even steel (36 kN/cm2).

bamboo construction

Its capacity to absorb energy and the higher bending strength makes this bamboo an ideal material for seismic-resistant constructions.

Bamboo possesses only a small proportion of lignin. Its main component is silicic acid, which gives the shoot its durability and hardness. The tissues composition of guadua is 40% fiber, 51% parenchyma and 9% conductive tissue, which explains its astonishing strength and flexibility.

For the past 10 years, bamboo experts have been experimenting with the multiple uses of bamboo and are still discovering new applications, bamboo fiber for the garment and automotive industries, flooring boards, veneers as thin as 0.2 mm, are just some of many examples. Bamboo panels, especially floors, are more and more in demand all over the world, because they have the texture of marble and the elegance of wood; in addition, they are strong, durable, smooth, clean, non-sliding and resistant to humidity.

Timarai Bamboo Hotel and Resort in Costa Rica by Ing. Alejandro Restrepo

For all these reasons guadua bamboo is on the point of a breakthrough, and may soon be described as the new high technology material of the future that replaces to use of conventional woods in construction.

Advantages of building with bamboo

Bamboo is the most wonderful, natural and renewable resource capable of rapid growth that can avoid future deforestation of our precious tropical rainforests.
Bamboo is easy to cut, handle, repair, reposition and maintain, without the need for sophisticated tools or equipment.
Because of its extraordinary physical characteristics, Guadua bamboo is suitable for all types of structures and constructions.
Bamboo is non-polluting and does not have crusts or parts that can be considered waste. Instead of adding to the problems of polluting land-fills like conventional building waste, any part of the bamboo that is not used is recycled back into the earth as fertilizer or can be processed as bamboo charcoal.
Its circular form and hollow sections make bamboo a light building material, which is easy to handle, transport and store. Therefore, building with bamboo saves time.
Bamboo can be utilized for permanent and for temporary constructions.
In each of its nodes, bamboo has a dividing or transverse wall that maintains strength and allows bending thus preventing rupturing when bent. Because of this fantastic characteristic a bamboo construction offers superior earthquake-resistance.
The composition of the fibers in the walls of the bamboo allows it to be cut length-wise or cross cut in pieces of any length, using simple manual tools like the machete.
The natural surface of the bamboo is smooth, clean, with an attractive color which does not require painting, scraping or polishing.
Besides being used as a structural element, bamboo can also serve other functions, such as: flooring, wall paneling, water pipes, drainage, and furniture
Bamboo can be used in combination with other types of construction materials, like reinforcing materials for foundations.

Misconceptions about bamboo construction.

The incorrect use of bamboo in marginal construction has contributed to the misconception that bamboo is inferior to wood. Nothing can be further from the truth. Bamboo is a building material that offers superior earthquake protection compared to wood or cement block. Public awareness about the superior structural, mechanical and environmental qualities of Guadua Bamboo is growing daily especially among visionary leaders of the "green revolution."

Bamboo Foundation

What Happens When Bamboo is Not Handled Correctly:

Once cut, insects may attack bamboo or wood. For that reason it is highly recommendable that bamboo, once cut go immediately through a special immunization and drying process.
Bamboo in permanent contact with soil, like wood, will rot and attract insects. For that reason, we discourage bamboo and soil contact.
Once dried, bamboo, like wood, is flammable. Bamboo can be treated with a fire-resistant substance.
Bamboo does not have an equal diameter over all its length. The thickness of the internal walls also varies. For builders unfamiliar with this characteristic, this might present difficulties. Experienced builders have no problems.
The diameter of the bamboo diminishes when drying. If not dried completely in advance of construction, this has implications.
Quality bamboo construction requires special techniques for Joints and Terminals. Inexperienced builders attempt to drive nails into bamboo which could result in splitting the bamboo. Experienced builders use fine nails that do not split bamboo. When using thick nails, simple pre drilling prevents splitting.

Bamboo House Playa Sombrero by Alejandro Restrepo

Many credits have to be given to the collaboration of Colombian and Ecuadorian architects and engineers, who are responsible for most of the new Guadua bamboo constructions. Their effort to simplify and universalize this material as an element in construction will contribute to a better and correct use of Guadua.

Watch this video with Colombian Bamboo Architect: Simon Velez

Because of the global demand for non-polluting, sustainable, and earthquake resistant building materials, the interest in bamboo construction among western innovative architects is now growing rapidly.

Guadua bamboo not only offers optimal solutions for communities with smaller resources, it is also a popular resource and study subject for professionals and institutions of a high economic level which translated itself in high scale residential houses, schools, offices, hotels, etc.

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