ANÁLISE COMPARATIVA DA RESISTÊNCIA MECÂNICA DO BAMBU DENDROCALAMUS ASPER TRATADO E NÃO TRATADO COM COMPOSTOS DE BORO

Abstract

Bamboo, a material widely studied due to its high mechanical strength and low environmental impact, faces durability challenges, especially against biological agents and adverse conditions. This study evaluates the effect of chemical treatment with boron compounds (a mixture of boric acid (H₃BO₃) and borax (Na₂[B₄O₅(OH)₄] 8H₂O)) on the mechanical strength of Dendrocalamus asper bamboo, aiming to increase its durability and viability as a sustainable construction material. The methodology involved the collection and treatment of bamboo stems, by the sap replacement method, in which the bamboo was immersed in the solution for 4 days and dried for 14 days, with subsequent tensile, compression and shear tests, according to NBR 16828-2:2020. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) method was used to assess whether the chemical treatment significantly influenced the mechanical strength of the bamboo. The results indicate that the treated bamboo showed a significant increase in compressive strength (44.7%) and shear strength (25.3%) compared to the raw bamboo, while the tensile strength showed a negative variation of 4%. This evidence suggests that treatment with boron compounds substantially affects compressive and shear strength, making bamboo a viable alternative for structural applications that require these properties.