Abstract

The structure-property relationships reveals that bending stress (MOR), in rattan, depends more on fibre wall thickness than fibre percentage (by volume) . In contrast, the maximum crushing (longitutidinal compressive stress- MCS) is more dependent on percentages of fibres and ground parenchyma. However, both MOR and MCS are interrelated and significantly correlated with Young's Modulus and fibre wall thickness. Fracture modes and failures under compressive and bending stresses were different between the strong and weak canes. At compressive failure, crumpling of fibres was observed in strong caneswhile buckling of fibres in a wavy or mildly corrugated pattern was characteristic of microscopic deformation in weak canes. At bending failure, brash tension and cross grain tension types are exhibited by the strong canes and horizontal shears by weak ones. Due to the highly heterogeneous nature of rattan material (because of large within-stem anatomical variation), the