Developing Improved Methods for Assessing the Structural Integrity of Decayed Trees

Often appreciated for their unique character, large, old trees routinely need extra tending to manage the accumulating forces opposing their longevity. Though an important part of natural cycles, wood decay is a common example of such problems facing large, old trees, and the loss of supporting wood from decay can be a concern during tree risk assessments. Although there are several ways to detect or measure decay in trees, it is not always easy to assess the structural integrity of the remaining tree parts. Moreover, many existing techniques have not been widely adopted by practitioners due to high costs, poor validation, and limited guidance. Using a combination of load tests and decay measurements, we will verify the accuracy of methods used to predict the strength of decayed trees and characterize the uncertainty of estimates obtained from different methods. We expect the insights will improve judgments about tree failure risk and, as a result, reduce storm losses and unnecessary tree removals.

Year: 2024

Grant Program: Hyland R. Johns Grant Program

Grant Title: Developing Improved Methods for Assessing the Structural Integrity of Decayed Trees

Researcher: Dr. Daniel Burcham

General Audience/Trade Publications and Professional Presentations: