Relationship between physical, anatomical and strength properties of 3-year-old cultivated tropical bamboo gigantochloa scortechinii

The physical, anatomical and strength properties of 3-year-old cultivated tropical bamboo Gigantochloa
scortechinii was studied. Five (5) culms of the bamboo were selected and harvested from the Bambusetum plot located in
the Forest Research Institute Malaysia in Kepong. The anatomical study focussed on the vascular bundles and fibres
located at the internodes and nodes No. 8 at the outer, middle and inner cross section of the bamboo. The sizes of the
vascular bundles length, vascular bundles width, fiber length, fiber diameter, fiber lumens diameter, fiber walls thickness
and fiber Runkle’s ratio were measured in relation to the samples positions at the internodes, nodes, and positions in the
cross-section of the bamboo culms. The physical study gives emphasis on the moisture content, basic density and
dimensional stability. The strength properties study focused on the tension parallel to the grain and shear test. Both the
physical and strength study were conducted at internodes and nodes No. 8 of the bamboo.