Measure of thermal transmittance of two different infill wall built with bamboo cultivated in Tuscany

G. Bambi¹, P.F.P Ferraz², G.A.S. Ferraz², P. Pellegrini¹ and H. Di Giovannantonio¹

¹University of Florence, Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, Via San Bonaventura 13, IT50145 Firenze, Italy
²University Federal of Lavras, Department of Engineering, Federal University of Lavras, BR37200-000 Lavras -Minas Gerais, Brasil
*Correspondence: gianluca.bambi@unifi.it

Abstract:

Bamboo is used in different scenarios of application, its physical and mechanical characteristics guarantee a high flexibility of use especially in the buildings constructions. The experience gained in civil constructions demonstrates that bamboo can be considered a sustainable material able to replace wood in many constructive elements with structural functions. The applications of bamboo aimed at carrying out structural functions are thoroughly studied. For this reason the present research focuses on the thermal insulation performance. To ensure an approach focused on the sustainability of potential exploitation, the research examined only local material coming from three bamboo fields located in the Tuscany region (Italy). The material harvested and suitably treated was utilized for the realization of two different kind of wall, undergone later to experimental tests in compliance with the ISO 9869 standard for the calculation of the transmittance values. The measure of transmittance enabled to know the characteristics of thermal conduction of bamboo walls. The first wall was made of cut throw longitudinal axis bamboo culms; the second one was made of cut throw longitudinal axis bamboo culms coated in internal face with a sustainable mortar. The test was carried out using insulating thermal box with internal temperature under control.
The calculation of the transmittance in place was compared with the images captured by thermal camera. Thermal imagine allowed to highlight the behaviour of the material subjected to a thermal stress induced by the experimental test.

Key words:

bamboo, sustainable building material, thermal conductivity, thermal transmittance