Engineered Bamboo in Europe

Abstract

Engineered Moso bamboo has favorable mechanical properties and shows great potential for large scale application in European architecture due to its high renewability. However, lack of standardization and coherence in test data trongly hinders its practical application. In this research paper, the practical application potential of Moso bamboo in European architecture is investigated and its design implications are quantified.
The study was conducted through literature review and through a quantitative comparison study, in which Moso bamboo building elements were compared to equally performing building elements, made from other commonly used materials in Europe.

Moso bamboo can be engineered into a number of forms, each of which is well-suited for a different particular application. Additionally, its unrivaled renewability, relatively low cost and excellent mechanical performance can give Moso bamboo a significant advantage over other renewable and non-renewable building materials. As such, large-scale application within European architecture as an alternative to wood-based or unrenewable materials appears viable.
The data and conclusions from the quantitative comparison study (Appendix 2) were compiled into a practical tool that provides designers with relevant information about using bamboo-based or other renewable building materials and helps them quantify their material design choices.