Evaluation of Engineering Properties of Field-Used Bamboo and Newly Aged Bamboo Under Accelerated Aging
摘要
This study evaluates the durability of Dendrocalamus asper bamboo under accelerated aging conditions to simulate real-world environmental exposure. Two aging methods were applied: wet-dry cycling, which mimics fluctuating humidity and periodic water absorption common in tropical climates, and heat-cool cycling, which replicates temperature variations in regions with high diurnal temperature differences. Experimental results showed that compressive strength decreased with aging. A compressive strength reduction of approximately 25.5% was observed when comparing treated bamboo between new and 10-year-old samples, decreasing from 497.91 ksc to 370.98 ksc. Similarly, treated bamboo subjected to 20 wet/dry cycles exhibited a compressive strength reduction of approximately 20.7%, declining from 497.91 ksc to 394.99 ksc. The 20-cycle wet-dry aging method produced compressive strength values (394.99 ksc) closest to those of 10-year-old treated bamboo (370.98 ksc), with only a 6.47% difference. In contrast, the heat-cool method resulted in a greater discrepancy of 23.29%. Additionally, shear strength decreased slightly with borax/boric treatment, with more pronounced reductions under heat-cool cycling. These findings suggest that wet-dry cyclic aging provides a more reliable approach for assessing bamboo durability in humid environments, offering valuable insights for sustainable construction material applications.