So the steel is cheaper than bamboo?
The truth is: it is simply not as safe as metal. E.g. bamboo scaffolding has been outlawed in Shenzhen since 1994 [0] due to safety concerns.
[0]: https://www.sz.gov.cn/zfgb/2008/gb622/content/post_4950758.h...
It's easier just to require steel than to play bamboo police.
As for imperfections, the bamboo masters seem to know how to (over)compensate for them, i.e. they build the scaffolding to withstand several times the expected load. As would any good engineer.
I feel like I'm seeing more and more of this kind of conjecture on HN about things that are quite easy to verify.
It also surprises me that anyone would assume they're either operating without any standardisation or that they'd only be doing it informally. It's China, first of all, and it's the 21st century.
The guidelines from the local government are available here: https://www.bd.gov.hk/doc/en/resources/codes-and-references/...
The bamboo is specified by genus, age, drying time, thickness etc. with exact tolerances given for variation.
The bamboo surprised me, so I took a look. I didn't see any zip ties. It looked like it was lashed together with the nylon ribbon that is often used in packing.
Really amazing to see it on 20 story buildings.
As a former Boy Scout with a lot of experience in knots/lashing etc, I was VERY curious to see what kind of ropes, knots and lashing they use.
Turns out it's just some flat nylon ribbon and mostly a couple quick wraps and overhand knots.
Really is amazing that it all stays together. I imagine the friction between the ribbon and the wood surface of the bamboo must be high enough to be "sticky".
"The toughest part of the job, though, is tying a proper knot to secure bamboo poles, which can take years to master"
Cool sketches of the knots - https://multimedia.scmp.com/infographics/culture/article/318...
I'm sure the years to master includes where and which way to do the knots.
> some flat nylon ribbon
Over 0.5 kN per strip, blah blah boring specs for the scaffolding which at 25 pages would be... 100 times shorter than the EU?
Any who, my bamboo wilted after cutting, you have to treat it it seems... so not even close to the knot stage, but did find the spec'ed lashes, then remembered I hate knots, like just the basic reef knot ones... screw years. Zip ties FTW
https://multimedia.scmp.com/infographics/culture/article/318...
Why Hong Kong uses bamboo scaffolding, and meet the spider-men who climb it - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42665355 - Jan 2025 (2 comments)
Bamboo Scaffolding in Hong Kong - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42820011 - Jan 2025 (3 comments)
pvg•6h ago