PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE BAMBUSA VULGARIS AS CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL

ABSTRACT The fabrication of traditional construction materials consumes a large amount of energy, emits pollutants, and utilizes nonrenewable raw materials. Therefore, it is important to reduce the environmental impact of construction through the use of eco-friendly materials, such as bamboo. This work presents the characterization of Bambusa vulgaris, which is widely available in Brazil. The aim is to employ this raw material as a construction material. The geometric and physical properties were obtained. The results showed that, when bamboo is soaked in water, dimensional variations up to 7%...