Mechanical Behaviour Analyses of Sap Ascent in Vascular Plants Articles uri icon

authors

  • PEREZ DIAZ, JOSE LUIS
  • GARCIA PRADA, JUAN CARLOS
  • ROMERA JUAREZ, FERNANDO
  • DIEZ JIMENEZ, EFREN

publication date

  • September 2010

start page

  • 355

end page

  • 363

issue

  • 4

volume

  • 36

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0092-0606

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1573-0689

abstract

  • A pure mechanical anisotropic model of a tree trunk has been developed based on the 3D finite element method. It simulates the microscopic structure of vessels in the trunk of a European beech (Fagus sylvatica)
    in order to study and analyse its mechanical behaviour with different
    configurations of pressures in the conduits of xylem and phloem. The
    dependence of the strains at the inner bark was studied when sap
    pressure changed. The comparison with previously published experimental
    data leads to the conclusion that a great tensile stress —or 'negative
    pressure'— must exist in the water column in order to achieve the
    measured strains if only the mechanical point of view is taken into
    account. Moreover, the model can help to design experiments where
    qualitatively knowing the strains and the purely mechanical behaviour of
    the tree is required.