Density, Porosity and Dimensional Changes of Naturally - Grown Bambusa Vulgaris
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Date
2016-02-25
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Forestry Association of Nigeria
Abstract
Density, porosity and volumetric changes of Bambusa vulgaris Shrad. ex. JC Wendl were evaluated in this study. Culms aged two, three and
four were harvested from bamboo groove growing naturally on the Federal University of Technology, Akure Campus. Samples were
collected at 10 %, 50 % and 90 % sampling height which represented the base, middle and top portions of the culm. Culm density, porosity,
shrinkage and swelling characteristics were determined according to standard procedures. The mean density values were 755 kg/m3, 877
kg/m3, and 782 kg/m3. For ages two, three and four years, respectively. The mean porosities were 42.6 %, 29.44 % and 36.86 % for ages two,
three and four years respectively. The mean shrinkage in the longitudinal directions were 0.88 %, 0.94 % and 0.9%. The mean radial
shrinkage values were 7.69 %, 5.21 % and 5.60 % while the mean tangential shrinkage were 15.17 %, 8.80 % and 10.72 % for ages two, three
and four years, respectively. The mean swelling values in the longitudinal directions were 0.46 %, 0.46 % and 0.63 %, the mean radial
swelling values were 5.62 %, 6.27 % and 5.17 % while the mean tangential swelling values were 7.24 %, 10.21 % and 9.46 % also for ages
two, three and four years, respectively. The mean volumetric shrinkage values were 22.24 %, 14.34 % and 16.50 % while the mean
volumetric swelling values were 20.88 %, 28.63 % and 30.47 % for the two, three and four year old Bamboo, respectively. There were no
significant variations in the density and porosity along the culm length. However, significant variation existed among the three ages classes.
The shrinkage characteristics were similar along the length of the culm for all the orthogonal directions. Among the different ages,
significant variations existed with exception of longitudinal shrinkage. The swelling behaviour was similar for all the three age series from
the base to the top portion of the culm.
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Keywords
Bambusa vulgaris, Physical properties, Density, Porosity, Swelling, Shrinkage