| bamboo reinforced concrete |

grafik

Bamboo composite material, concrete.

Bamboo is lightweight, extremely resistant to tensile stress, and has for a long time been used in traditional construction. However, as an organic material it has natural flaws which limit its applications. Architect and professor Dirk Hebel has developed a new material made of bamboo fibres mixed with organic resin that could be used as rebar to reinforce concrete. Bamboo is an abundant, inexpensive resource and is the ideal replacement for steel reinforcement. Its rapid growth means that it absorbs large quantities of C02 when cultivated – increasing the material’s environmental credentials.

Credit: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich