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Flux boundary measurements for the study of tree stability

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Abstract

The shear strength of soil is an important parameter that affects tree stability and can vary depending on the magnitude of the soil’s negative pore-water pressure (matric suction). The surface flux boundary condition affects the matric suction of soil, and therefore is important for tree stability. Field measurements were performed around a roadside tree for 2 years. The instrumentation results show that the matric suction in the soil fluctuated between 0 and 35 kPa. Matric suction changes in the soil could lead to a decrease in the tree resistive moment of up to 80 %.

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Acknowledgments

The study was carried out as part of a research collaboration to study the effect of rainfall on tree stability. The study was conducted by the Nanyang Technological University, DHI-NTU, and the National Parks Board, Singapore. The authors would like to thank Mr Daryl Lee Tsen Tieng for conducting the tree survey and tree geometry modeling. The experiments performed in this study comply with the current laws of the Singapore government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Blk N1, #1A-02, Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore

    Harianto Rahardjo

  2. Environmental Process Modelling Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, CleanTech One, #06-08, Singapore, 637141, Singapore

    Nina Amalia

  3. School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Blk N1, #1C-80, Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore

    Leong Eng Choon

  4. School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Blk N1, #B1A-01A, Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore

    Fakhrur Rozy Harnas & Lee Tsen Tieng

  5. Centre for Urban Greenery and Ecology, National Parks Board, 1 Cluny Road, National Parks Board Headquarters, Singapore, 259563, Singapore

    Fong Yok King

Authors
  1. Harianto Rahardjo
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  2. Nina Amalia
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  3. Leong Eng Choon
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  4. Fakhrur Rozy Harnas
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  5. Lee Tsen Tieng
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  6. Fong Yok King
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fakhrur Rozy Harnas.

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Rahardjo, H., Amalia, N., Choon, L.E. et al. Flux boundary measurements for the study of tree stability. Landscape Ecol Eng 13, 81–92 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11355-016-0303-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11355-016-0303-9

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