| There is a tremendous need for affordable, safe housing in developing regions, yet with the economic hardships of many of these nations, traditional materials such as concrete and steel are unaffordable. One of the potential solutions to this problem is the use of indigenous materials, which can greatly reduce the cost of housing projects.;An experimental testing programme was developed to find the suitability of using the bamboo species arundinaria amabilis, or Tonkin cane, as a replacement for conventional steel reinforcement in masonry shear walls. A total of seven masonry shear walls were tested in-plane under cyclic loading conditions. One wall contained conventional steel, while the others contained Tonkin cane reinforcement. In addition to these cyclic tests, material testing was conducted on all components of the walls. A complete analysis of the results was carried out, showing great potential for bamboo as a low cost housing reinforcing material. |
