Bamboo Gridshells

This highly illustrated text brings together two areas which have both grown in popularity in recent years: gridshells and bamboo. Bamboo is a fast-growing, naturally available, renewable resource which is quite strong and lends itself to structural applications. In this unique text, David Rockwood demonstrates the viability of bamboo as a building material and considers the advantages – as well as the challenges – of working with bamboo. Its properties, workability, connections, assembly, erection processes, structural behavior, and final use are explored in detail through a series of design-build experiments and case studies from Hawai’i and Vietnam. The only book available on the subject, Bamboo Gridshells provides a comprehensive introduction to this emerging technology which will be of interest to anyone working in the areas of sustainable or environmental design, ecological construction, low technology strategies, or alternative materials.

Preface Introduction Chapter 1. Bamboo Form and Material Introduction Bamboo Plant TaxonomyBamboo Plant Geographic Location and Ecological Conditions Bamboo Plant Physiology and Growth Characteristics Bamboo Material Physical Properties Bamboo Treatment and Preservation Bamboo Material for Building Construction Tools and Workability Bamboo Structural Connections Chapter 2. Gridshells Gridshell Definition Gridshell Morphology Gridshell Case Study Examples Translation to Bamboo Chapter 3. Building Investigations – Phase 1 – Hawai`i Introduction Structural ConnectionsBamboo Properties Gridshell Assembly Gridshell Erection Process Provisional Conclusions Chapter 4. Building Investigations – Phase 2 – Vietnam Introduction Chain Models (Formfinding) Bamboo Models Structural Connections Gridshell Assembly and Erection Process Provisional Conclusions Chapter 5. Building Investigations – Phase 3 – Hawai`i Introduction Formfinding Built-Up Spanning Members Gridshell Assembly and Erection Process Provisional Conclusions Chapter 6. Building Investigations – Phase 4 – Vietnam Introduction Gridshell Structural Member Prototypes Provisional Conclusions Chapter 7. Conclusion

David Rockwood is Associate Professor; Director, Construction Process Innovation Lab; and Co-Director, Urbanism Research Lab at the University of Hawai`i at Manoa, School of Architecture, USA. Rockwood’s research focuses on material, structure, and construction processes for high performance buildings. He was named a Fulbright Specialist in 2014.