Comparative analysis of structural timber and engineered bamboo

6.1 Structural Pine 6.1.1 Structural Characteristics Structural pine or structural timer/lumber is a common material in construction. Obtained from conifers and mainly from Radiata Pinus species of trees, they are regarded as a lighter timber type, thus easier to process, utilize in framing, floor, and other structural purposes. Structural pine has several structural characteristics which include strength and durability, workability, dimensional stability, density and weight, flexibility and elasticity, and aesthetic and environmental consideration (Wieruszewski et al., 2022). With reference to strength and durability, structural pine is strong and durable thus having the capacity to bear significant load, making it ideal material for beams, framing and other load bearing applications. But while it has a high load bearing capacity, structural pine has a moderate resistance to tear and wear. Nowak, Patalas, and Karolak (2021) reiterates the aspect of workability arguing that pine is easy to shape, cut and join, making it ideal material for constructions intricate and precise designs and adjustments. More so, structural pine exhibits a generally low moisture content when seasoned and treated appropriately, which means a low rate of warping, twisting, shrinking and swelling instances. Additionally, structural pine has a low to moderate density, which makes it more ideal for structural usage as compared to materials such as hardwood. According to Mirski et al., (2020), kiln-drying pine does not only to reduce moisture content but also to enhance its dimensional stability and increase resistance to splitting and warping. More importantly structural pine has a fairly good flexural strength and hardly breaks under bend stress (Tidwell, Heikkinen, and Torvinen, 2022). Overall, its aesthetic appearance and the distinct grain patterns makes it ideal 320404440430200for framing, beams, sheathing, exterior and interior finishing. 32837503057912Figure 1: Structural Pine (https://www.bowens.com.au)00Figure 1: Structural Pine (https://www.bowens.com.au) 6.1.2 Mechanical Properties Pine has fairly good strength and stiffness, however, these values depend on the species and growth environment. Commonly, structural-grade pine has a compressive strength of 40-50 MPa/ N/mm2, density of approximately 500-600 600 kg/m³, tensile strength of 90-100 MPa, and the modulus of elasticity (MOE) of the structural-grade pin is 8-10 GPa (Arriaga et al., 2022). These properties make it ideal to be used in many structural applications although it has low strength when compared to hardwoods and other engineered woods. 6.1.3 Material Efficiency Pine is efficient to produce largely due to its minimal processing requirements. Once produced it remains a perfect material for furniture making because it has a straight grain pattern and is quite fast-growing compared to other hardwoods (Carballo et al., 2009). It can readily be seasoned and worked into beams, planks, and plywood (Mirski et al., 2020). Pines light weight also makes it affordable in terms of transportation and ease of handling on construction sites. It does however produce a fairly significant amount of waste in milling is not highly dimensionally stable, and may require kiln drying and other treatments to optimize performance. 6.1.4 Environmental Analysis Pine is classified to be a renewable material especially when taken from sustainably managed forests. It has a relatively short growth cycle which ranges from 20 up to 30 years, this facilitates the reforestation process (Arriaga et al., 2022). Other potential contributions of pine to the environment involve the absorption of carbon as it grows and subsequent recycling or biodegradation at its useful life. However, chemical treatments for durability and pest control come at the cost of a larger environmental impact. 6.1.5 Cost Performance Compared to other structural substrates, pine is normally cheaper to obtain and use. Due to its availability in most areas and its ability to grow quite quickly, it is cheaper than hardwood and engineered bamboo. The cost performance of pine entails more than the material cost of acquisition since it enjoys minimal treatment than the other materials and may need routine maintenance, repair, or replacement due to its moderate durability (Xu, 2000). As a whole, plywood can be regarded as a relatively cost-effective material with decent structural properties, appropriate for a broad range of constructions; however, one must consider the possible expenses on its future preservation. 6.2 Engineered Bamboo 6.2.1 Structural Characteristics Engineered bamboo, which has many applications in the construction sector, results from binding bamboo fibers with adhesives under heat and pressure, into a laminated composite. Engineered bamboo has a uniform and stable structure, which reduces the variability seen in natural bamboo. Its straight, consistent nature allows it to be used in a variety of structural applications, from beams to flooring. According to (0) there are two main examples of engineered bamboo namely laminated bamboo and bamboo scrimber. Bamboo scrimber consists of crushed fiber bundles often saturated in resin and further compressed into dense blocks as seen in Figure 2. Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 2: Bamboo Scrimber manufacturing Process (Adier et al., 2023). 6.2.2 Mechanical Properties Adier et al., (2023) states that engineered bamboo has fairly good mechanical strengths when compared to traditional timber. Accordingly, the mechanical properties of engineered bamboo are best described based on shear strength, tensile strength, four-point bending test, and compressive strength test (figure 3). Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 3: (a) shear strength; (b) tensile strength; (c)compressive strength; and (d four-point bending test Accordingly, engineered bamboo compressive strength varies from 50 to 70 MPa (Adier et al., 2023). In a research study by Drury et al (2014) China’s Moso bamboo had the highest comprehensive strength of about 69.9 MPa as compared to other bamboo species namely Madake, Tali, Guadua, and Moso (Drury et al., 2023). Accordingly, the tensile strength of engineered bamboo varies based on several factors including bamboo species, growing conditions, age, treatment, and processing methods. Zhou et al., (2022) report in their study that bamboo's tensile strength is more than 100MPa a...