Wood for the tree 2: biomechanics & tree hydraulics

  • 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

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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.

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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
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