jaue2015003: Development of Bamboo Trussed Frame Connections for Architectural Applications

Abstract

Bamboo recently has become the structure material of choices in structural engineering and trends in using bamboo structure in long span have gained attention and with a challenge to do and explore. It is important to explore available techniques and system of bamboo structure to perform in long span applications. Common way is to create trusses using bamboo. Connections play significant role to put trusses together. Therefore, this research is aimed to study the feasibility of bamboo truss-frame connections that can offer best suitability and most utilize the strength of bamboo structure. This study is the experimental research, using structural testing in laboratory environment. Dendrocalamus Sericeus Bamboo or Pai Sangmone (in Thai) is decided to be the test specie due to its potential great performance. The possible connectors are also designed to be four different types; pipe, plate, cone and node, T-plate connectors. The performance test of the four connectors for is based on the method of ASTM D198. The test data results will then be analyzed and compared. Then the data is put into a simple computation model of different truss configurations and span lengths to see if bamboo will stand and be feasible to use. The result found that the most suitable to be used in bamboo trussed frame are pipe connector and T-plate connector. With this finding, it is hoped that this research can be a pilot knowledge and able to be applied to other connections in bamboo structure in the future. It may not necessarily applicable to only bamboo truss frame, but other forms as well.