Structural Connectors used with bamboo

[Mark Meckes]

There are numerous ways to connect bamboo pieces together to make buildings and structures.
Some of these are:
- Using all bamboo, and using various joinery techniques
- Using rope, twines, vines, elastic bands, wire etc
- Using wood / joinery for the framework
- Using wood etc, with drilled holes to insert bamboo
- Using U-shaped metal and cross bracketing
- Using plastic / fiberglass molded components

There are many other possible connecting devices, but surprisingly few commercial resources are available, geared especially towards uses with bamboo.
Many products are not yet available in the market. or haven't been applied towards bamboo use, or just haven't been invented.

An opportunity exists here, to come up with practical and reasonably priced, strong and re-use-able bamboo connecting devices.

This will create much more use of bamboo by:
- Enabling quick and easy structural assembly /disassembly
- Being able to replace bamboo pieces whenever needed

This is particularly relevant for structures such as:
- Tents and temporary shelters,
- Storage structures and for garden / landscape structures such as:
- Greenhouses, coldframes
- Fences, trellis' arbors etc
- Livestock enclosures
There are many many more applications that these connectors could be applied towards.

Following are a few examples and resources found through the internet.

For geodesic type structures:
http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/data/529/thumbs/809Mvc-289f.jpg
Here's a picture (http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=775) of one being constructed (using Starplate connectors)
at the American Bamboo Society National Conference in Savannah georgia, 1995

Sources for Starplate type connectors :
Stromberg's Chicks and Avairy supplies (USA)
http://www.strombergschickens.com/starplate_building_system/starplate_index.php
Provides a kit of 11 connectors with plans -enough to build
a structure

Starplate Building Systems: New Zealand
http://www.avonelectric.co.nz/starplate/

Sheltadome Building Kit: Australia
http://www.bamboo-oz.com.au/application.html#SHELTADOME

Other connectors:
Shelter systems: various types of connectors
http://www.shelter-systems.com/map.html

Please let us know if you've found or are making a connector that works with in conjunction with bamboo.

[Mark Meckes]

Tent like structures and canopies are very handy for keeping out of the rain or sun, for storing work materials, and bamboo poles and for setting up an outdoor booth at the marketplace etc etc.
It is only natural that bamboo poles be used in these structures.
But how to keep the tarpalin from flying away in the breeze, or filling up with rain water?
Here's a few products that can help:
http://www.bamboocraft.net/workshop/data/509/thumbs/1Mvc-290f.jpg
Example of a tarp fastening clip see larger pic (http://www.bamboocraft.net/workshop/showphoto.php?photo=776)
- purchased at a local hardware store, USA (99 cents)
Works good with tarps / fabric. Slips when used with plastic.

Here's a website with Grip Clips -Tarp fasteners ( Shelter Systems) (http://www.shelter-systems.com/grip-clips.html)
and...
Tent Pole - end Clips -Tarp fastener (Shelter Systems) (http://www.shelter-systems.com/tent-pole-clip.html)
They also have Kite Clips for attaching Tyvek and other materials to a bamboo framework for making kites

[Mark Mortimer]

I have posted some photos of connectors used in Bamboo structures. They are from a CD from a mate of mine, who uses bamboo to teach the basic priciples of architecture here in Argentina. His name is Horacio Saleme.

http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/data/529/thumbs/3163-i.JPG
Photo 1 (http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=777)

http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/data/529/thumbs/3164-h_s_.JPG
Photo 2 (http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=778)

http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/data/529/thumbs/3165-d_s_.JPG
Photo 3 (http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=779)

http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/data/529/thumbs/3165-i_s_.JPG
Photo 4 (http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=780)

Although they are very home made, some of them look strong. I particularly like the squashed pipe idea. The problem with any of the round ones is the differing diameter of culms in any structure. You can see in the photo they've tried to plug the gaps with silicon.
Anyway could lead to some decent more mass produced connectors.
Another thought... another good thing about the squashed pipe connector is that you can have any number of bamboos all meeting there, so long as they can physically fit in the space.
Mark

[Mark Meckes]

Thanks for sharing these with us Mark.
A couple variations that come to mind for the pipe connectors are to have a couple slots in the pipe so it could be tightened around a slightly smaller diameter bamboo, or the use of thin sheetmetal as a shimmy.
Also I wonder how much a tube or wire ring would expand if it was preheated, then slipped over a bamboo pole and immediately cooled, as is done with the construction of wooden barrels where as metal hoops are heated, slipped over the barrel, then cooled?
Mark

[biagiodicarlo]

.....You can see in the photo they've tried to plug the gaps with silicon
Please where is the photo with silicone ?
To fill the gaps i've used rolls of paper.

Please have you other simple ideas for jointing a geodesic dome of about 6 meters in diameter? It has to be easily demountable also.

biagio

See thread... Bamboo Cubotten (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1128) - Cuboctahedron tensegrity
http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/data/522/thumbs/942cuboctatens.jpg see larger pic (http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1080)

[Mark Meckes]

Hello Bigio, Nice pic! I like your geometry.
The silicone caulking is shown in this pic, between the metal and bamboo. Probably other materials could be more suited to act as shimmies to fill the space between the connector and bamboo.
This looks like it was a quick fix, as with using green bamboo there would be some shrinkage.
I guess for a permanent connection one could use `liquid nail' caulking glue.
Mark

http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/data/529/thumbs/3163-i.JPG see larger pic (http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=777)

[BigBambooSkaggs]

This may not be quite what you are looking for but what about different sized pvc or plastic connectors that are used in things such as sprinkler systems. Pop in and out or glued. Just a thought.

[Mark Meckes]

Hi, around the garden I use mostly cordage and wire with bamboo but I can see how some structures could be easier to build using connectors.
The connectors would ensure a strong joint (hopefully), and can provide ready-made angles to easily construct complex structures.

Connectors of all sorts are such a common item in the world of manufactured goods. A wide variety of connector shapes and sizes specifically for bamboo usage should be readily available throughout the world.

A connector should outlast the bamboo, even though some structures aren't intended to be up for a long period of time.
Bamboo connectors need to be well designed, in different styles and shapes, easy to install, available in multiple sizes, durable and longlasting, be massed produced, inexpensive AND readily available.
For temporary structures they should be made easy to take apart.

Some connector designs for permanent structure should provide the ability to replace the bamboo portion without needing to take apart the whole structure.

Here's an interesting article, slightly off-topic, about using bamboo peg connectors to join wood pillars, for what I presume was a temporary exhibition, enabling the structure to be easier to take down.

Making thick pillars from thinned wood Producing Japan Pavilion (http://www.nippon-kan.jp/making/new_040723/p3_e.php)
"In Japan Pavilion Nagakute, clustered columns, which are uncut logs of thinned wood bound together, are also used. Bamboo connectors rather then metal ones are used to bind them together. This invention makes the reuse and recycling of building materials easier...."

[Mark Meckes]

Here's an interesting joinery technique using wooden blocks with holes as connectors to secure the bamboo into.
See thread posted by Bambutec on Bambutec - systematic bamboo jointing technology (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1204)
Website: www.bambutec.org

[Mark Meckes]

Re: request... by biagiodicarlo
I am looking for the book IL 31 BAMBUS-BAMBOO
Someone knows if the book is out of print ?

Thank you in advance, bdc
----------
Hi, a very interesting publication."It covers bamboo as a building material, straight rods, curved compression rods, curved tension rods" etc..."

Here is some info/book sources, including a pdf download on
IL 31 Bambus Bamboo - Klaus Dunkelberg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1261) - Institute of Lightweight Structures

Mark

[manoz]

hi,i'm a newbie to the site.i am a drafting student and i think i have an idea about that pipe connection..several slits in the pipe only weakens the metal and all of the support strength would be focused around that ring in the middle..but i think that if u put one slit either center of the widest part of the pipe or center of the narrow portion..since the pipe is bent it gives u a straight edge one side wide one side narrow..my theory is :if u cut a groove from top to bottom,given how much slack your pole is missing from the original diameter dictates how big of a groove to take out of the pipe,,for instance if u got a half inch gap between the bamboo and pipe..then the pipe needs to be cut at least a half inch from top to bottom..then the pipe can be squeezed to close the gap back in .....like taking this big "C" and clamping it down to form "O".this seems to me to have more freedom to adjust to the different pole sizes..and keeping its strength..i have a bamboo project that i'm working on and it will have pipes like these for corner connections..well just a thought i had to share

[Mark Meckes]

Thanks Manoz for your suggestions!
Look forward to learning more about your project.
You may also begin your own New Thread, to discuss your ongoing work in progress.

Yes, a big challenge is to get the pipes and the bamboo to fit!
Either the pipe would need to have a slot to accommodate different thicknesses of bamboo..
or...
Perhaps if one could cut pieces of sheet metal that could be inserted as sleeves inside the main pipe, to fill the gap for slightly smaller diameter bamboo poles.
To fit larger bamboo into smaller sockets, some of the outer surface could be shaved off, but it should be mentioned that the outer layer of the bamboo is the strongest part of the bamboo, and, unless it is a thick-walled bamboo species, removing too much could be detrimental to structural integrity.

Check out these pics of: Star Connectors (http://www.gardendome.com/star_connectors.html)
It's located at a very interesting website: Worldflower Garden Domes (http://www.gardendome.com/WGD1.htm#Contents:)

[satjapan]

Hi,

I'm looking for the new material for the bamboo truss connections. It's my engineering research. I'm looking plastic cord/strap. Is that good for bamboo connection ?

The most importance for me is cheap and ease to install.

Welcome for suggestions.