This article seeks to rebut a e-newsletter through the Daily Graphic dated Monday, October 28, 2024, beneath the heading, “Don’t Use Bamboo to Hold Concrete.” In the stated e-newsletter, the author referred to Engineer Henry Boateng, the president of the Institution of Engineers and Technology (IET) – Ghana, as the primary useful resource particular person for the write-up.

The meant workforce made some critically deceptive pronouncements towards using bamboo as reinforcement in concrete works, versus that of iron rods.

Well, because the authentic guidance of this all-important asset allocation and a beneficiary award winner of this venture, each across the world and in the community, together with however now not restricted to the coveted Socrates Award for Quality and Innovation gained in Rome, Italy, nearly a decade in the past, I deemed it important to proper the fallacious impact put available in the market through anyone or a bunch of people who find themselves meant to understand higher however sadly did another way for causes I will simplest bet are both entire lack of information or a planned try to degrade the entire exhausting paintings put into this analysis through my trade. Hence this piece.

In addressing this factor, this text selections up at the key causes the useful resource workforce gave, compares and contrasts them with the ones of iron rods, analysing them scientifically, socially, and environmentally, leaving the socioeconomic and different analyses for every other day. In the tip, I can draw a conclusion for my readers’ judgment.

Reasons Given:

1. The alkaline content material of the cement would possibly weaken the power of the bamboo when it comes into touch.

In Ghana and most commonly internationally, Portland cement is the primary binding agent used for the majority concrete paintings. These sorts are available in both 32.5R or 42.5R, relying at the power one is on the lookout for within the combine. Research has proven that the alkaline content material in those cement sorts levels from 0.4% to at least one.6% relying at the uncooked fabrics used and now not the emblem. Source: (Science Direct)

Therefore, whether or not one makes use of 32.5R or 42.5R, the alkaline (NaOH) content material will stay throughout the above-stated vary. Research has additionally confirmed that matured bamboo’s tensile skill will moderately build up because the alkaline content material will increase to over 20% to twenty-five% sooner than it begins failing with extra alkaline presence. (Source: ScienceDirect.com)

My argument is that this: how can our Portland cement, with an alkaline content material of not up to 2% spoil the tensile power of the matured bamboo when it calls for about 25% or above sooner than it starts to weaken its tensile skill?

In distinction, alkaline will beef up the tensile power of the bamboo as much as a focus of, say, above 20% sooner than it begins affecting it negatively. Our Portland cement can simplest supply as much as a most of two% and due to this fact can not purpose any hurt to the power of the bamboo in the end. Hence, that statement is totally false scientifically.

2. Bamboo expands through soaking up water with rainy concrete, so when the concrete dries, there will probably be area between the bamboo and the dried concrete.

Yes, the simple investment and contraction of bamboo in rainy and dry concrete, respectively, is a different characteristic that permits bamboo to simply adapt to any more or less concrete combine and surroundings in comparison to iron rods. Undoubtedly, bamboo would possibly make bigger within the rainy concrete, however it’ll additionally shrink again to its unique form and measurement because the concrete remedies. Therefore, bamboo, in brief, will make bigger and contract with the concrete in proportional ranges and therefore go away no area between the dried concrete and the dried bamboo, opposite to what the president is proposing.

Iron rods would possibly similarly make bigger and contract over the years in concrete. Although they won’t make bigger instantly throughout the rainy surroundings, their incapacity to simply make bigger and contract in numerous environments makes their adaptation relatively complicated in comparison to that of bamboo. This would possibly result in a number of cracking issues from drying shrinkage and simple rusting of the steel in a salty surroundings.
In distinction, when it comes to bamboo’s skill to make bigger and contract within the rainy concrete, it turns into an added benefit over that of the iron rods and due to this fact must now not be noticed as an issue however moderately, a precious asset of bamboo.

3. Bamboo Will Decompose Over Time; therefore, Not Suitable for concrete paintings.:

Well, iron rods will similarly rust or even quicker when uncovered to a salty surroundings with out the correct amount of chemical remedy; therefore, this argument falls brief.
Generally, decomposition in natural fabrics happens when brokers like fungi, micro organism, and bugs destroy down natural subject into more effective elements. It is principally a herbal procedure influenced through elements similar to temperature, moisture, and oxygen. ( Source: Wikipedia.org).
From the above definition, decomposition, as proposed through the stated engineer, is not possible when the bamboo is buried within the concrete. It turns into like an “embalmed lifeless frame” and will closing for hundreds of years until the power of the concrete is compromised and the bamboo is uncovered. Until the sort of time, the concrete subject material across the bamboo naturally bureaucracy the ‘protecting coat” as long as the bamboo stays within the concrete with out publicity to the ambience.
There is due to this fact no explanation why to consider that bamboo in concrete will decompose with out publicity to the ambience or different brokers that can purpose it to take action, as proposed through the President.

4. Bamboo does now not fit the tensile power of metal however possesses a High Tensile Strength and a very good strength-to-weight ratio.

In distinction, matured bamboo has a tensile power similar to and even upper than some sorts of delicate metal, with figures starting from round 100-300MPa (14,500.43,500psi ) for bamboo and 250-415MPa (36,000-60,000psi) for delicate metal, and 400-1000MPa or 58,000-145,000psi) for top tensile metal. (Source: Science Direct.) This signifies that, aside from for high-tensile metal, mature bamboo can fit the power of any of those common delicate steels at any time limit.

Again, because the President Engineer humbly admitted, it’s true that mature bamboo has a very good strength-to-weight ratio in comparison to that of iron rods. As a part of my analysis, we’ve figures now not not up to six instances larger, relying at the breed. Hence, to make amends for any loss in tensile power all over structural design the use of bamboo, all one has to do is double or build up the amount of bamboo getting used till the wanted power is attained. This won’t essentially overload the lifeless weight of all of the construction. It is major to notice that the similar can’t be stated for the iron rods. These qualities and plenty of others give bamboo an extra benefit over iron rods.

5. Economic Benefit.

Aside from the various different makes use of of bamboo within the building development, which era and area don’t permit me to say right here, the price of bamboo is a long way inexpensive than that of iron rods in any a part of the arena; therefore, there’s no want for me to speak about the industrial affect on building initiatives when correctly used. In Ghana, as an example, the price of one ton of bamboo is set ten instances inexpensive than that of atypical delicate metal rods, if now not extra.

6. Environmental Impact.

Iron rod manufacturing at all times comes with an enormous adverse affect at the surroundings when it comes to power intake and the quantity of warmth and carbon dioxide this is launched into the ambience, resulting in local weather adjustments similar to international warming and different similar local weather problems. For instance, within the manufacturing of each and every one ton of iron rods, about 400-700 kWh of electrical energy is used, and this additionally produces about 1.8 lots of CO2 in more emissions into the ambience. Source: steelonthenet.com

Alternatively, the manufacturing of bamboo will supply extra oxygen to the ambience, thereby making the surroundings friendlier, as crops take in carbon dioxide (CO2) and provides off oxygen all over the method of photosynthesis.

7. Social Impact.

The use of bamboo rather than iron rods in modern day constructions will demystify the social misconceptions and ideology that high-rise constructions and different sturdy bolstered buildings belong to a definite elegance of folks. It seeks to carry development and another way refined building house to the atypical; therefore, the wish to inspire its use inside of our native communities.

That stated, I want to state that mature bamboo’s skill to give you the wanted tensile power in concrete works exists in nature and therefore is medical. Therefore, no quantity of propaganda can regulate that.

Conclusion

In conclusion, let me admit that the majority of my analysis paintings on this space has now not been formally revealed to supply others who would possibly wish to use bamboo as a reinforcement sector. However, that e-newsletter was once very deceptive, particularly coming from that supply, and it must be utterly pushed aside and handled with the contempt it merits. In the intervening time, I can be attaching a few of my analysis works on bamboo, and on the suitable time, I can submit the primary quantity of my guide on bamboo structural reinforcement.

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By: Kofi Anokye, CEO, Koans Group.
( LLM, LLB, MBA, BSC, HND, B-TECH.)

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made through Readers and Contributors in this platform don’t essentially constitute the perspectives or coverage of Multimedia Group Limited.