A study on the use of bamboo as reinforcement to concrete mixed with seawater

Alarming issues such as depletion of renewable freshwater and shortage in cement, especially in the Philippines, are evident nowadays. Traditionally, steel is used as reinforcement to concrete to compensate its low tensile strength. However, structural steel is only limited to some countries due to its limited natural resource and lack of skilled labor. Consequently, the use of suitable materials as alternative reinforcements to concrete, such as bamboo, are highly recommended due to its ease of availability, low cost, lightweight characteristics, flexibility and toughness. The significance of this study is directed towards sustainable development wherein alternative construction materials are being tested for their effectiveness in construction. However, the use of bamboo as reinforcement in concrete is very limited due to its various uncertainties. This study investigates the effectiveness of bamboo as reinforcement in concrete, replacing concrete\u27s water mixing component with seawater and substituting 20% of its cement constituent with fly ash. The parameters studied in this research are the compressive strength, tensile strength of bamboo, reinforcement\u27s pullout bond characteristics with concrete, and its behavior as reinforcement to concrete with respect to flexure. The compressive and pullout tests considered cylindrical specimens while beam specimens with rectangular cross-section were used to test the flexural strength