Effect of various moisture content on the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of giant reed Arundo donax L.

The giant reed Arundo donax L. is an aggressive grass widely diffused throughout warm temperate regions. Thanks to its remarkable features as fast-growing, eco friendly and high specific properties (i.e. high strength/weight and modulus/weight ratios), it is widely used in ancient and traditional buildings, especially in the realization of supports for roof cladding and paneling of walls. A better understanding and a consequent standardization of its properties could make it more suitable for general application in the sustainable building industry. Mechanical and viscoelastic properties of the giant reed were studied as a function of the moisture content. To this scope, various sets of ree…