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Measuring the dynamic wind load acting on standing trees in the field without destroying them
Satoru Suzuki1, Ayana Miyashita1
1Center for Forest Damage and Risk Management, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Plos One
|May 20, 2025
Summary
This study validates a new method using strain gauges to measure dynamic wind loads on trees in natural conditions. The technique accurately quantifies wind load (Lw), its distribution (CL), and direction (DL), crucial for forest management and ecology.
Area of Science:
- Forestry and Environmental Science
- Biophysics
- Ecology
Background:
- Wind loads significantly impact tree growth, architecture, and forest disturbance events like tree falls.
- Accurate measurement of dynamic wind loads on trees is essential for understanding forest ecosystems and effective management.
- Existing methods face challenges in dynamically measuring varying wind speeds and directions on trees.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate a novel method for accurately measuring dynamic wind load (Lw), its centroid (CL), and direction (DL) on standing trees under natural wind conditions.
- To assess the feasibility of applying this strain gauge-based method in real-world forest environments.
- To investigate the influence of wind turbulence and tree crown deformation on measurement accuracy.
Main Methods:
- Developed a method using multiple strain gauges attached to tree trunks to measure dynamic wind load (Lw), centroid (CL), and direction (DL).
- Validated the method's accuracy under natural wind conditions, analyzing performance at higher wind speeds.
- Investigated the effects of wind turbulence and tree crown deformation on measurement accuracy.
Main Results:
- The method demonstrated high accuracy for Lw (within 10% systematic error/MAPE), CL (within 7.7% MAPE), and DL (12.3° MAE) under natural wind conditions.
- Wind turbulence, fluctuations in wind speed/direction, and crown deformation had minimal impact on measurement accuracy.
- The sampling frequency is suitable for measuring taller standing trees, indicating broad applicability.
Conclusions:
- The proposed strain gauge-based method is accurate and feasible for measuring dynamic wind loads on standing trees in field environments.
- This technique offers valuable data for forest ecology, conservation, and management by quantifying Lw, CL, and DL.
- The method's robustness against environmental factors and suitability for various tree sizes enhance its potential for widespread adoption.
