?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fd-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu%2F19359%2F&rft.title=Assessing+the+Performance+of+Bamboo+Structural+Components&rft.creator=Richard%2C+Michael+J.&rft.description=Bamboo+has+been+a+traditional+construction+material+in+many+regions+for+centuries.+The+rapid+growth+and+maturation+rate+of+bamboo+as+well+as+its+good+strength+properties+and+global+accessibility+make+it+a+promising+non-conventional+building+material+resource.+However%2C+due+to+limited+standardization+and+design+criteria%2C+bamboo+has+often+been+relegated+to+non-engineered+and+marginally-engineered+construction.+The+current+study+assesses+the+performance+of+full-culm+structural+bamboo+components+and+appropriate+standard+material+and+member+test+methods.+A+brief+overview+is+given+to+the+motivation+for+the+study+of+structural+bamboo%2C+placing+the+work+in+its+social+context%2C+followed+by+background+on+the+properties+of+bamboo+and+the+structural+applications+of+the+material+as+well+as+the+pathway+to+its+further+standardization+and+utilization.+Experimental+and+analytical+studies+are+conducted+focusing+on+the+tensile%2C+flexural%2C+buckling%2C+and+environmental+sustainability+performance+of+full-culm+bamboo+components.+Standard+bamboo+tension+tests+are+carried+out+to+investigate+the+test+interferences+associated+with+the+functionally+graded+fiber+distribution+across+the+culm+wall+thickness.+Tension+specimens+oriented+in+both+the+radial+and+tangential+directions+are+considered+in+order+to+isolate+the+effects+of+the+fiber+gradation+both+on+test+results+and+experimental+methodology.+Recognizing+longitudinal+splitting+induced+by+flexure+as+a+dominant+limit+state%2C+modified+standard+bamboo+flexural+tests+are+performed+to+investigate+the+development+of+a+standard+test+procedure+for+this+limit+state%2C+which+involves+a+mixed-mode+longitudinal+splitting+failure+in+the+flexural+element.+Flexural+testing+considers+two+test+configurations+and+three+difference+species+of+bamboo.+Results+of+modified+full-culm+tests+are+compared+with+smaller+clear+bamboo+flexural+specimens+taken+from+the+culm+wall+as+well+as+standard+or+proposed+tests+for+pure+mode+I+and+pure+mode+II+failure+components.+The+experimental+buckling+capacity+of+single-culm+and+multiple-culm+bamboo+columns+is+studied+as+further+understanding+of+column+strength+is+critical+to+the+construction+of+more+robust+and+potentially+multiple-story+bamboo+structures.+Finally%2C+in+an+effort+to+quantify+the+perceived+sustainability+benefits+of+bamboo%2C+the+environmental+impacts+of+multiple-culm+bamboo+columns+are+compared+with+structurally+comparable+timber+and+steel+alternatives+in+a+comparative+midpoint+life+cycle+analysis.&rft.date=2013-09-25&rft.type=University+of+Pittsburgh+ETD&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.language=en&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fd-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu%2F19359%2F4%2FRichardMJ_etd2013.pdf&rft.identifier=++Richard%2C+Michael+J.++(2013)+Assessing+the+Performance+of+Bamboo+Structural+Components.++Doctoral+Dissertation%2C+University+of+Pittsburgh.++++(Unpublished)++