J. For. Sci., 2014, 60(10):425-430 | DOI: 10.17221/44/2014-JFS

Tensile strength and cellulose content of Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica) roots as bioengineering materialOriginal Paper

E. Abdi1, F. Azhdari1, A. Abdulkhani2, H. Soofi Mariv1
1 Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
2 Department of Wood and Paper Science and Technology, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

Unstable slopes create numerous problems for forest management and may destroy the road network and disturb access to forest. Soil bioengineering is a solution that can prevent these problems and reinforce the hillslope. Persian ironwood is considered as a good protective species for hillslope stability in Iran with an extensive lack of information about biotechnical properties. In this research the root strength of this species and also the relation between root diameter and cellulose content were investigated. The results showed that the mean tensile force and tensile strength were 99.70 ± 2.01 N and 173.23 ± 4.94 MPa, respectively, for the root diameter range between 0.22 and 3.78 mm. The results of ANOVA showed that the power models between root diameter and tensile force and tensile strength were statistically significant and the results of t-test showed that coefficients and constants of the models are also significant. The values of the parameters of the power law (α and β) obtained for Persian ironwood do not fall in the range that has already been suggested for hardwood roots, which may be due to a narrow diameter range. The mean cellulose content was 56.87 ± 5.79% and the relationship between root diameter and cellulose content was not statistically significant. The data presented in this study expand the knowledge of biotechnical properties of Persian ironwood and support the idea that there is still an extensive lack of information about plant roots as a bioengineering material.

Keywords: biotechnical

Published: October 31, 2014  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Abdi E, Azhdari F, Abdulkhani A, Soofi Mariv H. Tensile strength and cellulose content of Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica) roots as bioengineering material. J. For. Sci. 2014;60(10):425-430. doi: 10.17221/44/2014-JFS.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Abdi E., Majnounian B., Rahimi H., Zobeiri M. (2009): Distribution and tensile strength of Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) roots growing on slopes of Caspian Forests, Iran. Journal of Forestry Research, 20:105-110. Go to original source...
    2. Abdi E., Majnounian B., Genet M., Rahimi H. (2010): Quantifying the effects of root reinforcement of Persian Ironwood (Parrotia persica) on slope stability. Ecological Engineering, 36: 1409-1416. Go to original source...
    3. Bibalani G.H., Majnounian B. (2007): Protection roles of Gleditshia caspica Dsf. on slopes in Iran. Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 2: 713-717.
    4. Bischetti G.B., Chiaradia E.A., Simonato T., Speziali B., Vitali B., Vullo P., Zocco A. (2005): Root strength and root area ratio of forest species in Lombardy (Northern Italy). Plant and Soil, 278: 11-22. Go to original source...
    5. Cazzuffi D., Coreneo A., Cripra E. (2006): Slope stabilisation by perennial "gramineae" in Southern Italy: plant growth and temporal performance. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 24: 429-447. Go to original source...
    6. Cofie P., Koolen A.J. (2001): Test speed and other factors affecting the measurements of tree root properties used in soil reinforcement models. Soil and Tillage Research, 63: 51-56. Go to original source...
    7. De Baets S., Poeson J., Reubens B., Wemans K., Debaerdemaeker J., Muys B. (2007): Root tensile strength and root distribution of typical Mediterranean plant species and their contribution to soil shear strength. Plant and Soil, 305: 207-226. Go to original source...
    8. Genet M., Stokes A., Salin F., Mickovski S.B., Fourcaud T., Dumail J.F., van Beek R. (2005): The influence of cellulose content on tensile strength in tree roots. Plant and Soil, 258: 1-9. Go to original source...
    9. Greenwood J. (2006): SLIP4EX - a program for routine slope stability analysis to include the effects of vegetation, reinforcement and hydrological changes. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 24: 449-465. Go to original source...
    10. Hales T.C., Ford C.R., Hwang T., Vose J.M., Band L.E. (2009): Topographic and ecologic controls on root reinforcement. Journal of Geophysical Research, 114: 1-17. Go to original source...
    11. Leavitt W.S., Danzer R.S. (1993): Method for batch processing small wood samples to holocellulose for stablecarbon isotope analysis. Analytical Chemistry, 65: 87-89. Go to original source...
    12. Majnounian B., Etter H. (1993): Kheirud forest management revision plan. Iranian Journal of Natural Resources, Special Issue: 1-102. (in Persian)
    13. Mattia C., Bischetti G.B., Gentile F. (2005): Biotechnical characteristics of root system of typical Mediterranean species. Plant and Soil, 278: 23-32. Go to original source...
    14. Nilaweera N.S. (1994): Effects of Tree Roots on Slope Stability: The Case of Khao Luang Mountain Area, So Thailand. [Ph.D. Thesis.] Bangkok, Asian Institute of Technology: 184.
    15. Pollen N. (2007): Temporal and spatial variability in root reinforcement of stream banks: accounting for soil shear strength and moisture. Catena, 69: 197-205. Go to original source...
    16. Pollen N., Simon A. (2005): Estimating the mechanical effects of riparian vegetation on stream bank stability using a fiber bundle model. Water Recourses Research, 41: 1-11. Go to original source...
    17. Rowell M.R., Pettersen R., Han S.J., Rowell S.J., Shabalala A.M. (2012): Cell Wall Chemistry. In: Roger M., Rowell M.R. (eds): Handbook of Wood Chemistry and Wood Composites. New York, Taylor & Francis: 31-70. Go to original source...
    18. Schwarz M., Giadrossich F., Cohen D. (2013): Modeling root reinforcement using a root-failure weibull survival function. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 17: 4367-4377. Go to original source...
    19. Stokes A., Norris J., Greenwood J. (2008): Introduction to ecotechnological solutions. In: Norris J.E., Stokes A., Mickovski S.B., Cammeraat E., van Beek R., Nicoll B.C., Achim A. (eds): Slope Stability and Erosion Control: Ecotechnological Solutions. Dordrecht, Springer: 1-8. Go to original source...
    20. Tosi M. (2007): Root tensile strength relationships and their slope stability implications of three shrub species in the Northern Apennines (Italy). Geomorphology, 87: 268-283. Go to original source...
    21. Tsukamoto Y., Kusakaba O. (1984): Vegetation influences on debris slide occurrences on steep slopes in Japan. In: Effects of forest land use on erosion and slope stability. Honolulu, 6.-9. September. Hanolulu, Mac Grow Hill: 8.
    22. Wu T.H., McKinnell III. W.P., Swanston D.N. (1979): Strength of tree roots and landslides on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 16: 19-33. Go to original source...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content