Analyzing the structure of bamboo culms using computer vision and mechanical simulation

Abstract Bamboo culm is a natural material characterized by a graded structure of vascular bundles in the radial direction and a regular distribution of bamboo nodes in the axial direction. To investigate the adaptation of bamboo culm structure to its natural environment, the bamboo culm structure was analyzed using a vascular bundle identification model, complemented by mechanical simulations. The results showed a certain pattern in the macroscopic dimensional characteristics of bamboo from the base to the top: the outer diameter decreased linearly; the internode length initially increased before decreasing; the length-to-diameter ratio gradually increased; and the wall-to-cavity ratio initially decreased before increasing. In response to external forces, bamboo exhibited strong stability, which was attributed to the thin and hollow wall as well as parabolic distribution of bamboo nodes. Along the axial direction, vascular bundle numbers linearly decreased, while the ratio of fiber sheath tissue and the distribution frequency of vascular bundles increased from the base to the top. In the radial direction, the length and area of vascular bundles tended to increase before decreasing, while the width tended to increase, leading to a decreasing length-to-width ratio. Overall, the radial variation pattern of vascular bundles showed nonsignificant variations at different heights.