Experimental investigation into mechanical properties of inorganic-bonded bamboo composite for structural applications

Natural bamboo was regarded as a renewable building material, however, its application in engineering structures was limited owing to the inherently small geometric section and low load-bearing capacity. Herein, a novel bamboo-based composites prepared with magnesium oxysulfide (MOS) inorganic adhesive was proposed. The wettability and affinity of the inorganic adhesive were modification by the combination of additives, thus realizing adequate bonding between the inorganic adhesive and bamboo fiber strips. The mechanical properties of inorganic-bonded bamboo composite (InorgBam) were investigated experimentally under compressive and tensile parallel-to-grain, bending, and shear loads. The standard values of compressive and tensile parallel-to-grain, bending, and shear parallel- and perpendicular-to-grain strengths were obtained via parametric and non-parametric statistical methods. The results show that InorgBam offers good strength with relatively small variability, which satisfies the strength requirements of structural components for multistory buildings. Based on the test results, a theoretical analysis of the compressive and tensile parallel-to-grain stress–strain relationships of InorgBam material were performed, and the simplified models and corresponding analytical equations were then proposed. This study provides an alternative perspective for bio material structures that can promote the application of InorgBam in structural engineering.