ECTS
3 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
22,5h
Description
Biophysical specifications of the tree
Mechanics of the shaft subjected to gravity
Shaft hydraulics
Shaft mechanics under external loading
Integrative tree biophysics
Biophysical adaptations and wood quality
Objectives
The "Biomechanics and hydraulics of the tree" course aims to teach the functions of wood in the tree (mechanics and hydraulics) in order to understand how the diversity of wood microstructures and variations in wood quality are adaptive responses to the biophysical constraints that apply to the tree.
Targeted competencies
- Know the biophysical constraints that apply to the tree in operation
Mechanical: elastic stability, postural control, wind resistance and others
Hydraulics: transport, drought resistance
- Know the mechanisms that allow the tree to respond to these constraints
Juvenile wood, reaction wood, segmentation/redundancy
- Know how to measure wood properties and integrate them to obtain the biophysical properties of the tree
3-point bending, specific conductivity
- Understand the biological meaning of variations in wood properties