Tensile strength of grass species roots and shear strength of rooted blocks
Event details
| Date | 30.03.2009 |
| Hour | 16:15 |
| Speaker | Prof. Elena Comino, Politecnico di Torino, Italy |
| Location |
GR B30
|
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
The presence of vegetation is known to increase hill slope stability and to reduce soil erosion, both by reinforcing soil shear resistance and influencing hydrologic conditions of soil. This fact has been shown through studies and researches based on survey of failure because of deforestation, on in situ or in laboratory shear tests of soil blocks with roots, on in laboratory root tensile strength tests.
The importance of plant root systems for hill slope stability has received attention in the last years, including the quantification of this contribution, in particular the effect of grass roots.
In the lecture, after a short review on plant mechanical properties will be presented data gathered through a research developed in the last year. Some grass species widespread in the Alpine environment have been tested for their mechanical properties: Medicago sativa (Leguminosae), Trifolium pratense (Leguminosae), Lotus corniculatus (Leguminosae), commercial grass mix (leguminous and graminaceous plants), Festuca pratensis (Gramineae), and Lolium perenne (Gramineae). Their effect can be considerable only when the slide is superficial; otherwise their action can only advance and complete that of arboreal species. Results show a remarkable difference among the various species and the soils without roots, and a common state for the same species.
Practical information
- General public
- Free
Contact
- A. Berne