Axial Load-Capacity of Bamboo-Steel Reinforced Cement Stabilised Rammed Earth Columns

This paper presents a novel experimental study of the capacity of cement stabilised rammed earth (CSRE) columns reinforced with bamboo and steel under concentric axial loading. Effects of percent lateral reinforcement on the failure pattern, load-axial deformation and load-lateral deformation of columns are studied. Results show that the reinforcement significantly increases the load-capacity of columns, i.e. the higher the reinforcement ratio, the higher the load-capacity. The behaviour of columns reinforced with close tie spacing is characterised by gradual spalling of cover at the failure zone leading to a loss of axial capacity before the lateral confinement becomes effective. Unlike high-strength concrete columns confined by rectangular ties, the load-capacity of columns at ultimate peak load (second peak) did not fall below the value of first peak. On the other hand, specimens with low confinement did not d the second peak. In the end, bamboo can be a substitute for steel to some extent in the construction of low-rise reinforced rammed earth structures.