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In this paper, a preliminary study on a Malaysian bamboo locally known as Beting bamboo (Gigantochloa levis) basic properties was addressed. Characterizations of physical and mechanical properties of G. levis in terms of the variability of location along culm height (top, middle, bottom), culm section (nodes and internodes), fiber orientation (longitudinal, tangential and radial) and culm layer (outer and inner) were conducted. Comparison of these properties is also made to some bamboo and commercial timber species. It was found that G. levis has promising physical and mechanical properties although the specific gravity of G. levis has tendency to be on the higher side compared to many timber species. The characteristics studied were found to have some variability at different locations, sections, and directions. There was variability in terms of bending strength, compression strength along with the culm height of bamboo. This study indicated that properties of G. levis were found to be satisfactory, especially in bending strength, with the average value even surpassed other commercial timber species

Gigantochloa levis; mechanical properties; physical properties