Desenvolvimento de treliças planas de bambus de pequeno diâmetro com bioconexões compósitas

Abstract

This dissertation is about the development of artisanal bamboo plane trusses with small diameter -species Bambusa tuldoides-, through the combination of Product Design procedures to create the structure and connections. Structural analysis, Experimental and Numerical procedures were used to quantify the mechanical strength obtained, and to optimize the object of utility. The structure is made with composite connections of cotton cloth soaked in polyurethane resin - PU - based on castor bean, molded and bonded directly to the inner and outer surface of the tubular bamboos. Mechanical and physical experiments were conducted to characterize the composite material and the utilized bamboo. Further mechanical experiments were done to evaluate the bonding's shear resistance, and the two isostatic scissor type prototype trusses, 3 and 4 meters in size. The dissertation also emphasizes theimportance of direct involvement of the experimental engineering researcher with the materials used and the manufacturing of the utility object. This in turn acts as a mainspring for innovation, for the encouragement it brings, without which, one is stuck to the techniquesalready established by usage, for they are of lower risk. The results show that the structure developed, besides having presented a differentiated behavior of bolted structures, can withstand loads of more than 100 times its own weight, characterizing a high structural performance.