In this final bonus episode, I sit down with David Trujillo to discuss the structural qualities of bamboo, the challenges of connections, durability and fire, and how engineered bamboo could play a critical role in the future of low-carbon construction.
In this podcast, we discuss the following topics:
- David Trujillo’s path into bamboo engineering and academic research
- Why bamboo is structurally strong, including strength-to-weight performance
- The natural efficiency of bamboo’s hollow, nodal structure
- Common misconceptions about bamboo being “as strong as steel”
- Key limitations of bamboo as a structural material
- The central challenge of bamboo connections and joint design
- Current and future directions for standardized bamboo connectors
- Durability concerns: insects, moisture, preservation, and maintenance
- How design strategies extend the lifespan of bamboo buildings
- Fire performance, safety considerations, and height limitations
- The role of ISO standards in bamboo construction
- The potential of engineered bamboo for larger and taller buildings
- Differences between bamboo species and emerging material property patterns
- Thick-walled bamboo and new opportunities for construction
- Grading systems and supply chains for structural bamboo
- Pinboo (dowel-laminated bamboo) as an intermediate, scalable technology
- Future research priorities for advancing bamboo engineering
