Bamboo Scaffolding as a European Promising Opportunity: A Structural Feasibility Study

There is an increasing need for the use of materials with low carbon emissions, especially in the construction sector, which is responsible for a large amount of emissions. In this perspective, bamboo can play a crucial role; it grows very fast and is an effective carbon sink, having good mechanical properties. It has been used for millennia in specific contexts and territories, such as scaffolding in Asia. This paper aims to demonstrate how bamboo scaffolding can be a viable option in Europe as well. Two prototypes of scaffolding are calculated for the refurbishment of two- or three-story buildings, a common typology in European urban and extra-urban residential areas. The dimensions of the considered scaffolding are 1.8 m and 1.0 m for bay lengths and 1.5 m and 0.8 m for bay lifts. The bamboo considered in the analysis grows in temperate climates, dimensionally smaller in diameter and thickness than tropical ones. Connections play a crucial role, and this paper proposes simple steel connections that are easily removable and suitable for standardized assembly processes already available on the market.