Learning Foundation Engineering from Nature
Publication: IFCEE 2021
ABSTRACT
Bio-inspired design is increasingly popular in a variety of disciplines. Tree roots provide an anchorage system that is significantly more efficient than typical engineered systems. Trees are capable of withstanding substantial axial and lateral loads, with root structures that have improved throughout time. In comparison, engineered piling systems require the foundation to extend deeper in order to support comparable loads to those experienced by trees. This study explores the effect of lateral roots on trees’ bearing and uplift capacity to identify best practices for bio-inspired foundation design. The tree–soil interaction during loading is investigated using a transparent soil representing sand, made of fused quartz and a mixture of mineral oils having a matched refractive index. Load deformation response was obtained during loading. Soil movements were obtained by tracking fused quartz particle movements illuminated by laser light. Successive images were analyzed using digital image correlation to obtain displacement and strain fields.
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IFCEE 2021
Pages: 282 - 292
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© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Published online: May 6, 2021
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