Abstract: In growing construction industry demand for sustainable, affordable, and eco-friendly alternatives to traditional materials like steel has increased. The steel offers excellent strength and ductility, it has notable disadvantages such as high embodied energy, substantial carbon emissions, susceptibility to corrosion, and volatile market prices. These problems have led researchers to explore renewable and low-carbon material options. bamboo as a reinforcing material can be a promising option. The use of bamboo in place of steel is used as a whole and as a combination of both bamboo and steel. It is used as such to ensure the reduction in weight and economic advantages with its strength compromised to a slight and safe level. This study investigates use of bamboo's as a reinforcement material in concrete, especially for low-rise buildings. Bamboo, a renewable and fast-growing material with high tensile strength and an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, was tested in both untreated and chemically treated forms to evaluate its structural, mechanical, and durability properties in comparison to steel reinforcement. Test were conducted on M25 grade concrete using cubes, cylinders, and beams reinforced with steel rods and bamboo splints. The Tests find out tensile strength, bond strength, water absorption, flexural performance, and cyclic load behavior. Results showed that although steel-reinforced beams had the highest load capacity and energy absorption, bamboo-reinforced beams performed well, reaching up to 72% of the strength of steel-reinforced concrete and outperforming plain concrete significantly. Coatings like bitumen, epoxy, and boron-based treatments improved the bond between bamboo and concrete and reduced water absorption, thus enhancing durability. The bamboo's properties like light weight, renewability, low embodied carbon, and cost-effectiveness make it a feasible, sustainable substitute for low-cost housing, disaster-resistant structures, and rural infrastructure.

Bamboo is an abundant, fast-growing, renewable material with high specific strength and a low embodied-energy profile. This paper reviews recent literature on the feasibility of using bamboo as a reinforcement material in concrete and geopolymer matrices. Key challenges—bonding with concrete, durability, variability between species, and low modulus of elasticity compared with steel—are identified alongside mitigation strategies. The review highlights where bamboo can be a viable low-cost, low-carbon reinforcement and where current evidence still favors conventional steel reinforcement.

Keywords: bamboo reinforcement, bamboo-reinforced concrete (BRC), bond strength, sustainability, durability.

Downloads: | DOI: 10.17148/IARJSET.2025.1211022