Mechanical characterisation of bamboo for construction: the state-of-practice and future prospects

Methods for material characterisation of bamboo necessary for the structural design of bamboo and its expanded use in the construction sector are described. Directions for revising the nascent existing ISO 22157:2019 standard and future directions for this standard are discussed. Critical needs identified include i) improved performance of standard shear and flexural tests; ii) the need to establish protocols and methods for quantifying the long-term behaviour of bamboo and its degradation under environmental exposure; and, iii) establishing the efficacy of emerging methods of bamboo treatment. Requirements are placed in the test standards – grading – structural design ecosystem and are intended to guide future revisions of test and design standards.