Wind breakage of trees initiated by root delamination

Summary

There are different types of tree failure under wind loading. Here a special mechanism is discussed by which redirectioning of the tensile forces acting in the tree stem causes a lateral force to become effective away from the stem-root transition contour line. This force leads to delamination of the root followed by development of an axial crack running up the stem, until total stem failure by fibre buckling on the compression side of the stem completes the destruction. It is shown that buttress roots could reduce the danger associated with this failure mechanism.