Development of high quality ply bamboo

Abstract

Utilization of non wood forest product such as bamboo is one of alternative in reducing wood usage. Some advantages of bamboo among other are very fast growth rate, short rotation, high tensile strength, abundantly in many countries, and traditionaly has been using as building material. The aim of this study was to produce ply bamboo that has high quality in terms of physical and bonding strength properties, and also resistance to termite attack. The raw material used in this study consisted of three bamboos species, namely, tali (Gigantochloa apus), andong (Gigantochloa verticillata) and betung (Dendrocalamus asper); and five kinds of adhesives, namely methylen diphenyl isocyanate (MDI), phenol formaldehyde (PF), melamine formaldehyde (MF), urea formaldehyde (PF) and poly vinyl acetate (PVAc). Fundamental properties of ply bamboo tested according to SNI 01-5008.7-1999. This study consisted of two topics. The aim of first study was to improve mechanical properties of ply bamboo, especially in enhanching perpendicular to grain bonding strength, and the purpose of second study was to improve resistance of ply bamboo to termite attack. The treatments applied in first topic were glue taped and sewn of bamboo strands perpendicular to grain. The distances of each treatment applied in bambo strands of both glue taped and sewn were 5 cm, 10 cm, and 15 cm, respectively; whereas the treatments applied in second topic were soaking in cold water, hot water, and boiled lime solution 5 %. The results of first topic showed that MDI was the best adhesives for ply bamboo, in terms of improving physical and bonding strength properties significantly. The results also indicated that the treatments applied in ply bamboo improved physical and bonding strength properties significantly, especialy in enhancing the perpendicular to grain bonding strength. The results of second topics showed that boiled lime solution 5 % was the best treatments for ply bamboo in improving resistance to termite attack.