The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) has released comprehensive guidance about the design of permanent bamboo structures for the first time.
Bamboo has been used in traditional construction for centuries in countries such as China, Indonesia, Colombia and Vietnam. But it has seen renewed interest as a key material in modern buildings as engineers and architects look for lower-carbon alternatives to steel, concrete and timber.
Bamboo is a fast-growing grass that can be harvested in three to five years and regrows without replanting, absorbing large amounts of carbon dioxide as it grows. Structurally, it has a high strength-to-weight ratio, comparable to steel in tension, while requiring far less energy to process than concrete or metals.
The detailed design manual from IStructE draws on the expertise of four international authors from academia and industry and aims to help structural engineers understand how the material can be used safely, with the ISO standard and the manual...