In this book I have collected many reports on the properties of bamboo. Since I started bamboo research in 1974, I have collected many publications on bamboo. However, in contacts with other researchers I became aware of the fact that several of these publications were unknown to them. Consequently their activities in research or in bamboo projects had to start at a lower level than if they had known some of these publications. Therefore, I discussed the need for a book like this with several colleagues, and I decided to start writing. In this book I present data on properties, as published by resear chers. Certainly it is not complete; e.g. the proceedings of the bamboo workshop in Cochin in November 1988 are not included; they arrived just too late to be taken into account. On the other hand, in writing this preface I realize I have forgotten my own thesis. I do apologize to any colleague whose relevant report is not taken into account as well. I like to express my feelings of respect to the board of my faculty: they allowed me to spend so much time on this book, and they gave a considerable financial support for the printing costs.

"This part of ISO 22157 specifies test methods for evaluating the following characteristic physical and strength properties for bamboo: moisture content, mass per volume, shrinkage, compression, bending, shear and tension. It also covers tests on specimens of bamboo that are conducted to obtain data, which can be used to establish characteristic strength functions and to arrive at the allowable stresses. The data can also be used to establish the relationship between mechanical properties and factors, such as moisture content, mass per volume, growth site, position along the culm, presence of node and internode, etc. for quality-control functions." -- p. 1

This book summarizes many of the recent developments in the area of bamboo composites with emphasis on new challenges for the synthesis characterization, properties of bamboo composites and practical applications. The book provides an update of all the important areas of (synthesis, processing, properties and application) bamboo fibers and its composites in a comprehensive manner. The chapters contributed by leading researchers from industry, academy, government and private research institutions across the globe benefit academics, researchers, scientists, engineers and students in the field of natural fiber composites.

Although used for millennia, only recently has there been an increased interest in bamboo as a construction material for its economic, social and environmental benefits. For bamboo to be widely implemented in construction, however, there is a need to better understand the variation in the plant's mechanical properties. The microstructure of bamboo and the mechanical properties of the solid cell wall material of bamboo were characterized for use in models for the variation of the overall mechanical properties of bamboo as a function of radial and longitudinal position. The density of bamboo and the volume fraction of vascular bundles in the bamboo increases with radial position (away from the center of the culm) and decreases with height. Tensile tests follow the trends predicted by the models. Young's modulus and strength increase with radial position (away from the center of the culm). Values for Young's modulus were in the range of 5 to 40 GPa and values for strength varied from 100 to 400 MPa.