Compressive performance of laminated bamboo columns with glass fiber reinforced polymer

This paper presents an investigation to check the feasibility of reinforcing laminated bamboo columns through the application of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites, with particular emphasis on examining the influence of slenderness ratio on the performance of GFRP reinforced columns. A comprehensive experimental program was conducted involving eighteen full-scale columns, which were categorized into six distinct slenderness groups. External GFRP wrapping was employed to enhance compression strength, as well as to restrain the outward local buckling deformation of the laminated bamboo column. Experimental observations revealed both compression and buckling failure modes. The results demonstrated that the implementation of GFRP reinforcement with a minimal volume fraction significantly enhanced both the load-carrying capacity and deformation ability of the laminated bamboo columns. A consistent inverse relationship was observed between the slenderness ratio and the ultimate load-carrying capacity of the specimens. To further validate and extend the experimental findings, a methodology for modeling the column specimens was developed using ABAQUS software, incorporating nonlinear analysis to simulate the behavior. The numerical simulations exhibited strong correlation with experimental results, thereby confirming the reliability and effectiveness of the proposed methods for potential similar engineering applications.