U.S.-New Zealand Cooperative Research: Soil Reinforcement by Vegetation Roots

该奖项将支持俄亥俄州立大学的吴天博士和新西兰森林研究所的沃森博士之间的合作研究。该项目的主要目标是建立可用于分析和评价土木工程建设项目中作为土壤加固的植被根的真实的根系几何形状和土-根相互作用的模型。新西兰森林研究所收集的数据将作为该模型的基础。利用这些数据，将二维土壤-根系相互作用模型扩展到三维。将在新西兰对辐射松的根系进行现场测试，并将结果用于验证模型。该模型考虑了根系几何形状和土壤-根系相互作用的随机性。由模型生成的根系和土壤性质的均值和方差将被用来评估系统在土壤加固中的估计性能的均值和方差。该项目在将吴开发的模型与新西兰森林研究所现有的实地研究数据库和专门知识相结合方面表现出很好的合作。这是推进土壤-根系相互作用模型的重要基础工作，也有可能有助于解决诸如流域管理和土地利用规划等土木工程项目中主要关注的斜坡稳定性问题。

This award will support collaborative research between Dr. Tien Wu of Ohio State University and Dr. A. Watson of the New Zealand Forest Research Institute. The principle objective of the project is to establish realistic models of root geometry and soil-root interaction that can be used in analyses and evaluation of vegetation roots as soil reinforcement for civil engineering construction projects. Data collected by the New Zealand Forest Research Institute will be used as the basis for the model. With this data, a two-dimensional soil- root interaction model will be extended into three dimensions. In-situ tests on root systems of Pinus radiata will be performed in New Zealand, and the results used to verify the model. The stochastic nature of root geometry and soil-root interaction will be accounted for in the model. The mean and variance of root and soil properties, generated by the model, will be used to evaluate the mean and variance of the estimated performance of the system in soil reinforcement. The project represents excellent collaboration in combining the models developed by Wu with the existing data base and expertise in field studies available at the New Zealand Forest Research Institute. This is important fundamental work in advancing soil-root interaction models, as well as havingpotential for contributing to the solution of slope stability problems of major concern in such civil engineering projects as watershed management and land use planning.