Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa, Ghana; Department of Materials Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
Gyansah, L., Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa, Ghana; Kwofie, S., Department of Materials Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
This study investigates the performance of bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris) using the notched and the un-notched specimen. Double v-notched bamboo and un-notched bamboo specimens were used to carry out the experiment. Notched- angles of 20, 30, 60, 80 and 90° were made on each specimen. These were done to ascertain the effect of the notched-angle on the performance of the bamboo. Each specimen was placed in a Uniaxial Compression Machine and was crushed with respect to time. The results are plotted as crushing load against time. The results from the notched bamboo were compared with an un-notched bamboo to predict the effect of stress concentration. Microstructures of the bamboo were also analysed with the aid of an Electronic Microscope. It was observed that the variation in the notched angles had significant effect on the crushing strength of the bamboo. The higher the notched angle the lower the crushing loads. The variation in the notched angles also had significant effect on the crushing time. Therefore, the crushing time decreases with increases with the notched angle. Results also show that stress concentration had significant effect on the performance of bamboo. Results further show that a notched-angle of 20, 30, 60, 80 and 90° gave a crushing load of 8.0, 5.55, 3.33, 1.33 and 0.93 kN respectively and a crushing time of 42.46, 35.78, 21.89, 18.02 and 10.30 s, respectively. © Maxwell Scientific Organization, 2011.