JD
J. Dedhia
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MycoMax
Bamboo Reinforced Load-Bearing Mycelium Bio-composite
This thesis presents a method of reinforcing Mycelium-Based Composites (MBCs) using woven bamboo fibres to improve compressive strength for potential load-bearing applications. While MBCs offer advantages such as biodegradability, low embodied energy and the use of agricultural waste streams, their limited structural capacity currently restricts their application in structural systems.
The research investigates how reinforcement geometry, scaffold porosity, substrate density and unit cell size influence the growth behaviour and mechanical performance of MBCs. Inspired by traditional weaving techniques, woven bamboo mats were developed as reinforcement scaffolds using variations in strip width, thickness and grid spacing to control porosity and density. Bamboo was selected due to its high stiffness, accessibility and compatibility with mycelial growth, while hemp was identified as the most suitable secondary substrate for improved binding and density.
The material system was further developed into a constant 50 mm thick section incorporating two layers of woven bamboo mat reinforcement. Compression testing validated the contribution of bamboo reinforcement, where the large width strip (10mm) of woven bamboo specimen achieved a compressive strength of 1.157 MPa compared to 0.692 MPa for the specimen without bamboo reinforcement. Comparisons between large-width (10 mm) and small-width (5 mm) woven mats also demonstrated the importance of scaffold cell size, with the smaller grid achieving 0.717 MPa and complete delamination. Similar behaviour was observed during Stage 2A, where the larger grid configuration showed improved survival during contamination and better mycelial growth.
Further comparisons between bamboo origin types demonstrated the importance of fibre texture and surface characteristics for mycelial binding. Overall, the research demonstrates a framework for material-driven and performance-based design in engineered MBC systems reinforced with woven bamboo fibres, contributing toward the development of load-bearing bio-based construction materials. ...
The research investigates how reinforcement geometry, scaffold porosity, substrate density and unit cell size influence the growth behaviour and mechanical performance of MBCs. Inspired by traditional weaving techniques, woven bamboo mats were developed as reinforcement scaffolds using variations in strip width, thickness and grid spacing to control porosity and density. Bamboo was selected due to its high stiffness, accessibility and compatibility with mycelial growth, while hemp was identified as the most suitable secondary substrate for improved binding and density.
The material system was further developed into a constant 50 mm thick section incorporating two layers of woven bamboo mat reinforcement. Compression testing validated the contribution of bamboo reinforcement, where the large width strip (10mm) of woven bamboo specimen achieved a compressive strength of 1.157 MPa compared to 0.692 MPa for the specimen without bamboo reinforcement. Comparisons between large-width (10 mm) and small-width (5 mm) woven mats also demonstrated the importance of scaffold cell size, with the smaller grid achieving 0.717 MPa and complete delamination. Similar behaviour was observed during Stage 2A, where the larger grid configuration showed improved survival during contamination and better mycelial growth.
Further comparisons between bamboo origin types demonstrated the importance of fibre texture and surface characteristics for mycelial binding. Overall, the research demonstrates a framework for material-driven and performance-based design in engineered MBC systems reinforced with woven bamboo fibres, contributing toward the development of load-bearing bio-based construction materials. ...
This thesis presents a method of reinforcing Mycelium-Based Composites (MBCs) using woven bamboo fibres to improve compressive strength for potential load-bearing applications. While MBCs offer advantages such as biodegradability, low embodied energy and the use of agricultural waste streams, their limited structural capacity currently restricts their application in structural systems.
The research investigates how reinforcement geometry, scaffold porosity, substrate density and unit cell size influence the growth behaviour and mechanical performance of MBCs. Inspired by traditional weaving techniques, woven bamboo mats were developed as reinforcement scaffolds using variations in strip width, thickness and grid spacing to control porosity and density. Bamboo was selected due to its high stiffness, accessibility and compatibility with mycelial growth, while hemp was identified as the most suitable secondary substrate for improved binding and density.
The material system was further developed into a constant 50 mm thick section incorporating two layers of woven bamboo mat reinforcement. Compression testing validated the contribution of bamboo reinforcement, where the large width strip (10mm) of woven bamboo specimen achieved a compressive strength of 1.157 MPa compared to 0.692 MPa for the specimen without bamboo reinforcement. Comparisons between large-width (10 mm) and small-width (5 mm) woven mats also demonstrated the importance of scaffold cell size, with the smaller grid achieving 0.717 MPa and complete delamination. Similar behaviour was observed during Stage 2A, where the larger grid configuration showed improved survival during contamination and better mycelial growth.
Further comparisons between bamboo origin types demonstrated the importance of fibre texture and surface characteristics for mycelial binding. Overall, the research demonstrates a framework for material-driven and performance-based design in engineered MBC systems reinforced with woven bamboo fibres, contributing toward the development of load-bearing bio-based construction materials.
The research investigates how reinforcement geometry, scaffold porosity, substrate density and unit cell size influence the growth behaviour and mechanical performance of MBCs. Inspired by traditional weaving techniques, woven bamboo mats were developed as reinforcement scaffolds using variations in strip width, thickness and grid spacing to control porosity and density. Bamboo was selected due to its high stiffness, accessibility and compatibility with mycelial growth, while hemp was identified as the most suitable secondary substrate for improved binding and density.
The material system was further developed into a constant 50 mm thick section incorporating two layers of woven bamboo mat reinforcement. Compression testing validated the contribution of bamboo reinforcement, where the large width strip (10mm) of woven bamboo specimen achieved a compressive strength of 1.157 MPa compared to 0.692 MPa for the specimen without bamboo reinforcement. Comparisons between large-width (10 mm) and small-width (5 mm) woven mats also demonstrated the importance of scaffold cell size, with the smaller grid achieving 0.717 MPa and complete delamination. Similar behaviour was observed during Stage 2A, where the larger grid configuration showed improved survival during contamination and better mycelial growth.
Further comparisons between bamboo origin types demonstrated the importance of fibre texture and surface characteristics for mycelial binding. Overall, the research demonstrates a framework for material-driven and performance-based design in engineered MBC systems reinforced with woven bamboo fibres, contributing toward the development of load-bearing bio-based construction materials.