Bamboo lumber – an innovative sustainable raw material and an accelerated weathering study for establishing its durability

Bamboo lumber was prepared using Bambusa bamboos species and its weathering performance evaluated under natural accelerated weathering. Specimens of bamboo were exposed to for 150 days. Another set specimens UV light source (UVA 360) in tester up 250 hours. A comparative study on the level degradation made by evaluating CIEL*a*b* colour changes measured a Hunter lab spectro-colorimeter. Rate color change due photo-degradation evaluated. Results showed that all three axes, viz. lightness (L*), redness (a*) yellowness (b*) changed linearly with respect time exposure, but only L* weathering, keeping a* b* values be almost constant. Photodegradation mainly absorption chromophores present lignin, which constitutes about 32,2 % total bamboo.