bamboo has long been used as an assembly material in china, particularly hong kong, because of its versatility. one of the most interesting applications of the wood is its structural function for scaffolding. extremely eco-friendly and cost-effective resource, it continues to be used for this purpose because it is durable enough to support the weight of builders, their equipment and materials, but is lightweight itself. unlike typical metal scaffolding, bamboo can also be cut and tailor-made to suit any contour of construction – it can be configured into a variety of shapes and follow irregular architectural features of a building, and takes very little time to build-up. it is light and easily transportable to other sites and no machinery is required to assemble the scaffold and put it in place. when one job draws to a close, bamboo can easily be recycled and used for another project.
a high-rise is encased in double-layer scaffolding image © designboom
double-layered scaffolding consists of a single outer layered scaffold and an inner layer of posts and ledgers (horizontal limber which is fastened to the vertical uprights of a scaffold) which are erected inside. between the two layers, short poles or transoms (crossbar pieces) are used to support timber planks that form working platforms.
image © designboom
image © designboom
image © designboom
the main types of bamboo which are used for the purpose of scaffolding are mao jue and kao jue. when using the wood it needs to be completely dried out and free of any cracks or rot. the mao jue variety is the primary component of a scaffolding structure. it is used for vertical and diagonal members and maintains at least a 70 mm nominal external diameter. kao jue is used for vertical and horizontal members and are at least 45 mm in their external diameter.
a look at the binding methods used to hold the bamboo components together image © designboom
image © designboom
image © designboom
image © designboom
image © designboom
the bamboo is arranged to provide elevated stages for construction workers image © designboom
image © designboom
netting and nylon sheeting are used to stop debris from falling on people below image © designboom
image © designboom
a worker climbing a grid-like assembly of bamboo image © designboom
working freely image © designboom
image © designboom
a building clad in green netting and bamboo scaffolding stands amongst the hong kong skyline image © designboom
working platforms run around the circumference of a building image © designboom
image © designboom
a platform extends from a building image © designboom
platform scaffolding consists of closely spaced horizontal bamboo poles that result in large working spaces for construction activities. rakers, which are inclined members, are used to reduce the number of posts needed. this means there is little obstruction to pedestrians and vehicles underneath.
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an example of truss-out scaffolding which is used for small repairs image © designboom
truss-out style scaffolding is generally used for minor work and relies on the building for support. they are used in locations where it is not practical to erect a full scaffold structure from the ground. since they are smaller and function as light duty scaffolds, kao jue bamboo is used. generally, these types of structures should be no higher than 6 metres.
truss-out scaffolding uses the side of the building for structural support image © designboom
bamboo framework image © designboom
the complex framework image © designboom
bamboo being passed up to workers via harness and sack image © designboom
different lengths of bamboo being delivered image © designboom
image © designboom
assembly continues on the double-layer scaffolding image © designboom
image © designboom
a portion of an apartment is decorated in truss-out scaffolding image © designboom
image © designboom
image © designboom
bundles of bamboo waiting to be used image © designboom
image © designboom
they are built in such a way to minimize obstruction to sidewalks and streets below image © designboom
creating a canopy over the sidewalk image © designboom
image © designboom
bamboo scaffolding can be adapted to different shaped buildings like this curved façade image © designboom
image © designboom
the versatile material is also used as a structural frame for houses and buildings image © designboom
image © designboom
image © designboom
bamboo lined-up on a roof image © designboom
intricacy of the binding techinques image © designboom
the frequency in which these structures should be inspected should not exceed more than 14 days. they would need to be monitored more closely in the event or arrival of any tropical cyclones or strong winds. in hong kong and other parts of southern china, bamboo scaffolds are one of the few traditional building systems which have survived through the practical experiences of scaffolding practitioners over generations. thus, the safety and effectiveness of the bamboo scaffolds depends primarily on the individual skilled workers. trade knowledge is passed down to younger workers through an apprenticeship system and on-the-job learning.
