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1 Historical Examples

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Building with Bamboo
This chapter is in the book Building with Bamboo
9historical examplesTypes of BambooThe word “bamboo” was introduced by Carl von Linné in 1753. Bamboo is a grass plant like rice, corn and sugar cane. Different to these, the lignin of its tissues becomes after some years a structure as hard as wood, but more flexible and light. Bamboos, in their wild form, grow on all of the continents except Europe, from 51° north to 47° south. There are tropical and subtropical bamboos that thrive in different ecological niches, from cloud forests with humidity levels above 90% like the Guadua an-gustifolia in the Chocó Department of Colombia, to semi-arid zones of India (Dendrocalamus strictus). The majority of species are found in warm zones with humidity levels of over 80%, in tropical cloud forests, and in clayey and humid soils; for this reason they are often found near water. A few grow in dry climates or over 4,000 m above sea level. In China and Japan there are also species that can survive temperatures below zero degrees. Approximately 1,200 species exist, of which there are 750 in Asia and 450 in America. Of these last, the greatest diversity is found in Brazil (Hidalgo, 2003). It is esti-mated that 37 million hectares are covered with bamboo forests: 6 million in China, 9 million in India, 10 million in ten countries of Latin America and the majority in Southeast Asia (Lobovikov et al., 2007).Since antiquity, bamboo has been a construction material used to build basic habitats to complex structures; it has formed part of a set of elements that were an essential part of cultural develop-ment in Asia and America. In tropical zones, the bamboos most commonly used in construction are the Bambusa, Chusquea, Dendrocalamus, Gigantochloa and Guadua. Those of the group Phyllostachysprefer temperate zones.The following is a list of the bamboos most commonly used in construction. Their characteristics are briefly mentioned, with the proviso that data can vary depending on local conditions. More information on the species can be found in Farelly (1938), Young and Haun (1961) and McClure (1966).Bambusa• Bambusa balcoa Height: 12 – 20 m. Diameter: 8 – 15 cm. Origin: India. Note: internode thickness of up to 3 cm.• Bambusa disimulator Height: 12 m. Diameter: 6 cm. Origin: Southern China. Note: fine and very hard internode.• Bambusa edilis Height: 20 m. Diameter: 16 cm. Origin: China.• Bambusa polymorpha Height: 27 m. Diameter: 15 cm. Origin: China, Bengal, Burma.• Bambusa stenostachya Height: 22 m. Diameter: 15 cm. Origin: China.• Bumbusa vulgaris Height: 18 m. Diameter: 10 cm. Origin: Asia, Americas. Note: high starch content.• Bambusa bambos (L.) Voss Height: 30 m. Diameter: 15 – 18 cm. Origin: Southeast Asia. Note: thick shell.• Bambusa nepalensis Height: 20 m. Diameter: 10 cm.• Bambusa oldhami Munro (“Green bam-boo”) Height: 6 – 12 m. Diameter: 3 – 12 cm. Origin: Taiwan. Note: strong green colour, short inter-nodes.• Bambusa vulgaris, Schrader ex Wendland Height: 6 – 15 m. Diameter: 5 – 10 cm. Origin: Southern China.• Bambusa vulgaris, Schrader ex Wend-land, var. striata Origin: Southeast Asia. Note: mutation of Bambusa vulgaris with yellow-gold colour and green stripes.1historical examples

9historical examplesTypes of BambooThe word “bamboo” was introduced by Carl von Linné in 1753. Bamboo is a grass plant like rice, corn and sugar cane. Different to these, the lignin of its tissues becomes after some years a structure as hard as wood, but more flexible and light. Bamboos, in their wild form, grow on all of the continents except Europe, from 51° north to 47° south. There are tropical and subtropical bamboos that thrive in different ecological niches, from cloud forests with humidity levels above 90% like the Guadua an-gustifolia in the Chocó Department of Colombia, to semi-arid zones of India (Dendrocalamus strictus). The majority of species are found in warm zones with humidity levels of over 80%, in tropical cloud forests, and in clayey and humid soils; for this reason they are often found near water. A few grow in dry climates or over 4,000 m above sea level. In China and Japan there are also species that can survive temperatures below zero degrees. Approximately 1,200 species exist, of which there are 750 in Asia and 450 in America. Of these last, the greatest diversity is found in Brazil (Hidalgo, 2003). It is esti-mated that 37 million hectares are covered with bamboo forests: 6 million in China, 9 million in India, 10 million in ten countries of Latin America and the majority in Southeast Asia (Lobovikov et al., 2007).Since antiquity, bamboo has been a construction material used to build basic habitats to complex structures; it has formed part of a set of elements that were an essential part of cultural develop-ment in Asia and America. In tropical zones, the bamboos most commonly used in construction are the Bambusa, Chusquea, Dendrocalamus, Gigantochloa and Guadua. Those of the group Phyllostachysprefer temperate zones.The following is a list of the bamboos most commonly used in construction. Their characteristics are briefly mentioned, with the proviso that data can vary depending on local conditions. More information on the species can be found in Farelly (1938), Young and Haun (1961) and McClure (1966).Bambusa• Bambusa balcoa Height: 12 – 20 m. Diameter: 8 – 15 cm. Origin: India. Note: internode thickness of up to 3 cm.• Bambusa disimulator Height: 12 m. Diameter: 6 cm. Origin: Southern China. Note: fine and very hard internode.• Bambusa edilis Height: 20 m. Diameter: 16 cm. Origin: China.• Bambusa polymorpha Height: 27 m. Diameter: 15 cm. Origin: China, Bengal, Burma.• Bambusa stenostachya Height: 22 m. Diameter: 15 cm. Origin: China.• Bumbusa vulgaris Height: 18 m. Diameter: 10 cm. Origin: Asia, Americas. Note: high starch content.• Bambusa bambos (L.) Voss Height: 30 m. Diameter: 15 – 18 cm. Origin: Southeast Asia. Note: thick shell.• Bambusa nepalensis Height: 20 m. Diameter: 10 cm.• Bambusa oldhami Munro (“Green bam-boo”) Height: 6 – 12 m. Diameter: 3 – 12 cm. Origin: Taiwan. Note: strong green colour, short inter-nodes.• Bambusa vulgaris, Schrader ex Wendland Height: 6 – 15 m. Diameter: 5 – 10 cm. Origin: Southern China.• Bambusa vulgaris, Schrader ex Wend-land, var. striata Origin: Southeast Asia. Note: mutation of Bambusa vulgaris with yellow-gold colour and green stripes.1historical examples

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Table of Contents iv
  3. I The Technology of Bamboo Building
  4. 1 Historical Examples 9
  5. 2 The Plant 15
  6. 3 Cutting, Drying, Treatment and Storage 17
  7. 4 Physical Properties 21
  8. 5 Building with Bamboo in Europe and North America 27
  9. 6 General Aspects of Construction 29
  10. 7 Basic Construction Elements 33
  11. 9 Joints 41
  12. 10 Constructive Elements and Systems 48
  13. 11 Complementary Elements 72
  14. 12 Reinforcing with Bamboo 78
  15. II. Built examples
  16. Residences 82
  17. Cultural, Educational and Sacral Buildings 100
  18. Offices; Industrial and infrastructural Buildings 122
  19. Pavilions and Experimental Structures 130
  20. Bridges 150
  21. Appendix 154
Readers are also interested in:
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783034611787.9

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Table of Contents iv
  3. I The Technology of Bamboo Building
  4. 1 Historical Examples 9
  5. 2 The Plant 15
  6. 3 Cutting, Drying, Treatment and Storage 17
  7. 4 Physical Properties 21
  8. 5 Building with Bamboo in Europe and North America 27
  9. 6 General Aspects of Construction 29
  10. 7 Basic Construction Elements 33
  11. 9 Joints 41
  12. 10 Constructive Elements and Systems 48
  13. 11 Complementary Elements 72
  14. 12 Reinforcing with Bamboo 78
  15. II. Built examples
  16. Residences 82
  17. Cultural, Educational and Sacral Buildings 100
  18. Offices; Industrial and infrastructural Buildings 122
  19. Pavilions and Experimental Structures 130
  20. Bridges 150
  21. Appendix 154
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