Ms. Vishnupriya R will present her APS as per the details below:

Time: 1600 - 1700 hrs.

Venue: CTARA Conference Room No.2

Topic: Bamboo Wall Panels for Rural Infrastructure 

Guide: Prof. Chaaruchandra Korde

RPC Members: Prof. Satish B Agnihotri, Prof. Prakash Nanthagopalan

Abstract: 

Rural India faces critical infrastructure gaps, highlighting the need for sustainable, affordable, and locally appropriate building materials. This research examines engineered bamboo wall panels, specifically Ekra-type systems, as potential standardised solutions for rural housing. Initial work involved literature review and field investigations to document vernacular walling methods and identify performance gaps. Testing protocols were established for thermal, fire, and ignitability evaluations, referencing ASTM and IS standards, as well as simulations using ANSYS Fluent and Rhino. In the current phase, 25 bamboo composite wall panel variations were fabricated by applying five plaster options, mud, cow dung, cement, lime, and no plaster, in all possible two-sided permutations on weaved bamboo panels. Each variation underwent 75 tests for thermal conductivity (guarded hot plate) and fire resistance (bench-scale furnace), supported by numerical simulations. Ignitability of bamboo with fire-retardant coatings was also assessed. Further work will focus on a socio-technical ranking exercise to evaluate community acceptance, ease of construction, and aesthetics. Results will guide the selection of high-performing panels for mid and full-scale testing, advancing bamboo composites as climate-resilient, cost-effective alternatives for rural housing under schemes like PMAY.