Elements and Performance Criteria
- Determine existing physical loads and strengths of trees, branches and anchorage
- Determine existing physical loads affecting trees
- Identify areas of high stress on trees and the factors that affect these areas of high stress
- Assess root plate environment including depth and consistency of soil, spatial limitations and history of site excavations
- Assess prior tree pruning operations to branches and roots
- Determine extent of decay and damage of trunk and root system
- Assess strength and material properties of structural wood, particularly in areas of high stress
- Determine wind load
- Determine wind environment of tree
- Determine surface area of structure exposed to wind
- Determine crown surface area exposed to wind
- Assess aerodynamic drag factor of tree crown in relation to trunk diameter and extent of hollowness
- Estimate primary loads occurring in seasonal climatic events
- Determine wind-load of prevailing storms
- Determine load associated with saturated foliage
- Consider additional drag associated with saturated foliage
- Determine structural integrity by static load testing
- Determine appropriate static load on trees for structural integrity testing as an estimate of a wind-equivalent load
- Calibrate static load testing instruments so loads are accurately applied and maintained within limits of structural safety during a static test
- Carry out a static test that loads the tree, measures the trunk strength and assesses root plate anchorage in the ground
- Monitor loads and forces electronically
- Monitor tree to ensure loads are kept within safe limits and damage is avoided to tree
- Maintain accurate records of all data from static test.
- Compare data with benchmarks obtained from stable tree populations
- Document a report on structural integrity testing of tree from the static load test
- Determine tree dynamic response
- Research tree biomechanics studies using dynamic methods of analysis
- Understand simple models of tree dynamics
- Review complex models and finite element analyses that provide multimodal approaches representing dynamics of branches on trees
- Calculate existing mass of branches
- Determine degree of open-grown form of tree by calculation of the of branch mass
- Calculate vector of force on the tree
- Determine the tree dynamic response in defined wind velocity and direction
- Document a report on structural integrity testing of tree from the dynamic load analysis
- Document a structural integrity report
- Research level of contribution of material properties in tree dynamics
- Research dynamic effect of branches on frequency and damping
- Determine level of contribution of form and morphology in tree dynamics
- Review suitability of invasive and non-invasive methods of testing
- Evaluate and determine likelihood of structural failure
- Confirm level of anchoring potential of root system and stability of tree
- Document a structural integrity report and provide to client