Effect of weathering on salvaged bamboo from bamboocrete panel

Bamboocrete panel has been introduced in the construction industry as a sustainable alternative building material. However, the impact of weathering on its strength remains a concern when designing bamboo structures and understanding their long-term performance. This study investigates the mechanical properties of weathered, treated salvaged bamboo from bamboocrete panels. The samples were prepared from bamboo salvaged from bamboocrete panels that had been exposed to weathering for one and three years. The tensile and compressive strengths of this weathered bamboo were compared to those of untreated and treated bamboo, both after exposure to weathering for one and three years. The findings show that the compressive strength of the weathered, treated salvaged bamboo is 49% higher than that of untreated bamboo, while its tensile strength is 17% lower than that of untreated bamboo after one year of weathering. These results suggest that untreated bamboo's strength may degrade over time due to environmental exposure, while treatment significantly enhances both compressive and tensile strength.