Development of Roofing Tiles from Bamboo Flakes Treated with Magnesium Chloride

Abstract

The quest for alternative building materials, easy availability with supply in an economy where the population increases at high rate in a steady flow per year. Bamboo as a renewable, sustainable alternative material is explored for the production of roofing tiles, Bambusa vulgaris were chipped into flakes, sieve and further subjected to modified conventional treatment, the flake were oven dry in a control temperature of 170 o C to Moisture Content range of 11-12 %, Portland cement were employed as a binder, using batch method of mixing in the production of the roofing tiles. Moisture content, density of the roofing tiles, thickness swelling and impact test were determined, the average moisture content of the tiles12.7%, average density 0.031g/cm 3 , average thickness swelling which showcases the dimensional stability of the tiles is 0.75%. The impact test is 2.6N/mm 2 . The various results obtained were favourable suggesting that bamboo most especially of the Bambusa vulgaris can be suitable raw material and substitute material to wood for the production of roofing tiles.