Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 40(6): November 2014 Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 2014. 40(6): 309–318 309 Tree Biomechanics: A White Paper from the 2012 International Meeting and Research Summit at The Morton Arboretum (Lisle, Illinois, U.S.) Gregory Dahle, Jason Grabosky, Brian Kane, Jason Miesbauer, Ward Peterson, Frank W. Telewski, Andrew Koeser, and Gary W. Watson Abstract. The International Society of Arboriculture, in conjunction with The Morton Arboretum (Lisle, Illinois, U.S.), con- vened Tree Biomechanics Summit in September 2012 – bringing together a panel of internationally-recognized experts in the fields of tree biology, tree structure, structural engineering, computer modeling, and arboriculture. Following two days of public research talks on the state of tree biomechanics research, presenters were invited to attend a researcher summit to discuss persisting research gaps and prioritize research needs. Over the course of the event, summit attendees identified five priority research areas: 1) improving efforts to assess mechanical failure potential in trees; 2) modeling the impact of mechanical loading on trees; 3) under- standing the mechanisms and modes of tree failure; 4) understanding tree growth response to mechanical loads; and 5) increasing the effectiveness of tree risk mitigation practices. Beyond research priorities, summit participants discussed opportunities for advancing future tree biomechanics research efforts, including the creation of a formal working group dedicated to the subject. Key Words. Biomechanics; Failure; Mitigation; Research; Structural Behavior; Summit; Tree Failure. Trees are a dominant part of many urban land- scapes. In the United States alone, there are an estimated 3.8 billion trees in the nation’s urban areas (Nowak et al. 2001). Urban trees mitigate atmospheric pollutants (e.g., carbon dioxide), abate noise pollution, filter particulate pollut- ants, and are associated with increased prop- erty values. When located strategically, trees also provide summer shade or function as wind breaks to reduce building energy costs. While offering these and many other benefits, trees can also pose a significant threat to critical infrastructure, commerce, property, and even life when they fail. The Chubb Personal Insur- ance Company estimates annual tree-related losses in the U.S. at between USD $3 billion and $5 billion (Jackson 2011). In its assessment of damage caused by trees, the insurer speculated that more than 75% of the trees that fail during severe weather do so as a result of pre-existing and often correctable vulnerabilities. In a similar assessment of tornado-related claims made from 2008–2012, Nationwide Insurance identified partial tree failure as the primary source of auto- mobile damage (Giannetti 2013). While there is no crystal ball to help predict when a tree might fall, professional experience has allowed the industry to connect patterns of failure with many growth characteristics now commonly viewed as tree defects. Climatic change projections predict an increase in storm frequency and severity. If nothing is done to improve our understand- ing of tree stability and biomechanics in order to improve arboricultural practices, economic losses due to tree failures are likely to increase. In September 2012, the International Society of Arboriculture and The Morton Arboretum held Tree Biomechanics Summit, which brought together internationally recognized experts in the fields of tree biology, tree structure, structural engineering, computer modeling, and arboricul- ture to discuss the current state of biomechanics ©2014 International Society of Arboriculture
November 2014
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