Comparative study of bamboo as an alternative to use against steel in construction structures in Cajamarca-Peru 2025

Abstract

This study evaluates the flexural behavior of concrete beams reinforced with Guadua angustifolia bamboo and grade 60 corrugated steel, using three-point bending tests performed according to ASTM standards and the E.060 regulation. After 28 days of curing, the bamboo-reinforced beams reached an average flexural strength of 9.59 MPa, a flexural modulus of 614.43 MPa, and a maximum deflection of 5 mm, while the steel-reinforced beams reached 10.06 MPa, 643.69 MPa, and 5 mm, respectively. ANOVA analysis showed significant differences between the two reinforcements at 7 days (p < 0.001) and 14 days (p = 0.008), but not significant differences at 28 days (p = 0.105). Although steel showed less dispersion (SD = 0.23 MPa) compared to bamboo (SD = 0.63 MPa), the results indicate that bamboo can be considered a viable alternative structural reinforcement, provided that aspects of adhesion and variability are controlled.