Effect of Sandy-Bituminous Coating on the Splitting Tensile Strength of Bamboo Reinforced Concrete

The susceptibility of steel and its high cost has made the quest for eco-alternative materials in building construction paramount. Due to low compressive characteristics in steel, reinforced concrete tends to fail in high seismic regions. Hence, this study aims to study and investigate the experimental data and simulation analysis of Bamboo Reinforced Concrete (BRC). The experimental analysis involves a split-tensile strength test using concrete cylinders and a simulation via ABAQUS CAE. In the split-tensile strength test, bamboo embedded in the concrete was classified into coated bamboo (CB) and uncoated bamboo (UCB). Data analyses were carried out with varying curing periods of 7 days, 14 days and 24 days. The bamboo samples were coated with bitumen to prevent moisture decay and enhance bond characteristics with concrete. The performance of the Coated Bamboo Reinforced Concrete (CBRC) shows higher tensile strength despite having a low value at 28 days compared to the Uncoated Bamboo Reinforced Concrete (UBRC) at the same time. A simulation analysis performed by ABAQUS CAE modelled a concrete silo wall with bamboo using its mechanical and material definitions. The results validate the suitability of bamboo for tensile reinforcement in concrete.