110 Study of Adaptive Growth of Bamboo

Abstract

Bamboo grown on the slanted ground cannot grow straight up. Because it is subjected to a large bending moment due to its own weight. To avoid it the bamboo must be bent toward the gravitational direction. This bent part must be reinforced in some way to support the upper portion of the bamboo, for example reinforced by the reaction wood for the most of trees. This paper presents how bamboo reacts such over loaded circumstances. Typically, the cross-section of the bamboo culm changes from circle to ellipse which is different from trees. It is concluded that the shapes of the reaction wood are closely related to the loaded bending moment.