Stress Analysis around Vascular Bundle of Bamboo Stem Subjected to Bending

Abstract

Stresses around vascular bundles, which were composed of metaphloems, metaxylems and protoxylems, of a bamboo stem subjected to bending were analyzed using the finite-element method and photoelastic experiments, to investigate the mechanical meaning of the geometrical arrangement of fiber bundles around vascular bundles. The bamboo stem was treated as a material having uniform mechanical properties. The results showed that the fiber bundles were arranged around stress-concentrated portions in vascular bundles.