Bamboo use and engineers’ caution

On Monday, October 28, 2024, the Daily Graphic reported on the warning of the Institution of Engineering Ghana (IET-GH) that bamboo must not be used as a reinforcing material in place of steel.

According to the IET-GH, it has observed the increasing interest in the use of bamboo as a reinforcing material of concrete, and sounded the caution that once the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) had no established treatment for bamboo to be used in construction, it should not be used.

It said some clients had opted for bamboo in the mistaken belief that it had been endorsed without seeking expert advice.

While recognising the value of bamboo, which includes its natural stable composite, root system that prevents erosion, absorption of carbon dioxide and its release of oxygen into the atmospheres, IET-GH stated, “the use of bamboo as a direct replacement for steel reinforcement in concrete requires careful consideration and further research.”

Also, acknowledging the fact that historically bamboo had been used for the construction of mud buildings, IET-GH explained that concrete, particularly its alkaline nature, tended to react with bamboo by absorbing water from the concrete, causing swelling and subsequently shrinking as it dried up, creating gaps and weakening the bonds in the concrete.

IET-GH therefore advocates further research into bamboo as a reenforcing material with an effective customised treatment method for the country.

The Daily Graphic highly commends the proactiveness of IET-GH and its advocacy in the use of the right materials for construction in the country.

Indeed, this institution of professionals is making itself relevant in society by this note of caution before any disaster happens.

As rightly noted by the engineers, clients had adopted the use of bamboo in the mistaken belief that it had been endorsed in the sector.

They also explain quite well the technicalities of the disadvantages of using bamboo instead of steel. In the alkaline environment that concrete presents with water, the bamboo seeps in water and alkaline, shrinking as it dries up,  leaving gaps in the structure.

One does not miss bamboo as a reinforcing material in buildings and construction across the nation.  Citizens have not questioned the practice, and like builders, we have all taken the practice as the norm. Its use may also be because of the fact that it is cheaper than steel.

The country has witnessed many incidents of collapsed buildings. Inasmuch as we cannot establish that the use of bamboo is one of the causes of collapsed buildings, we, nonetheless, think that Ghana must have an established treatment standard for bamboo in the construction sector.

The GSA must, thus, take up the advocacy of the IET-GH and work collaboratively to establish standard treatment for bamboo in construction and bring out guidelines regarding its use.

The work of the GSA has been partly done by the IET-GH. As a matter of urgency, and as a public safety issue, it must immediately start this research and investigation for the treatment and standard use of bamboo in the built environment.

Cane and bamboo products will continue to be the mainstay of many in the country. Between 2011 and 2020, Statista, the global data and business intelligence platform, reported that Ghana's bamboo exports were valued at $169 million, the second highest in West Africa, after Nigeria. In 2019, Ghana exported 13,515 kg of bamboo to Senegal and the United States.

These figures show the viability of bamboo in the economy. As practitioners in the built environment use bamboo, it is time for the country to research into it and customise it for our purpose.

We must not take its use for granted and wait until a building reinforced by bamboo collapses.

Institutions such as the GSA must be alert to happenings around and lead in ensuring that Ghana benefits fully from the use of its natural resources.