Arid Zone Research ›› 2021, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (4): 1111-1119.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2021.04.23

• Plant and Plant Physiology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Deformation characteristics of the straight roots of Amorpha fruticosa

BAI Luyi1(),LIU Jing1(),HU Jinghua1,ZHANG Xin2,LI Shiwen1   

  1. 1. College of Desert Contral Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010019, Inner Mongolia, China
    2. Institute of Water Resources for Pasturing Area of the Ministry of Water Resources, Hohhot 010020, Inner Mongolia, China
  • Received:2020-10-20 Revised:2021-01-24 Online:2021-07-15 Published:2021-08-03
  • Contact: Jing LIU E-mail:18235500490@163.com;ljing58@126.com

Abstract:

The strength characteristics, constitutive relation, and elastic deformation characteristics of the straight roots of Amorpha fruticose, with diameters of 1-5 mm, were measured using a TY8000 servo control testing machine to clarify the mechanical properties of the materials of the plant roots under axial or radial loads. We found that the limit force was negatively correlated and limit strength was positively correlated with root diameter as a power function. When the stress-strain curve (σ-ε curve) was calculated from elastic deformation to plastic deformation under two type loads, there was no significant difference between the ultimate stress and elastic stress of straight roots, but the ultimate strain (15.04%) and elastic strain (2.71%) under axial load were significantly smaller than the radial load (20.39%, 4.19%). The tensile modulus and bending modulus were negatively correlated with root diameter as a power function, and the tensile stiffness and bending stiffness were positively correlated with root diameter as a power function. The percentage of the average elastic stress to the ultimate stress under axial load of each diameter level (50.45%) was significantly higher than the radial load (34.08%). Overall, the elastic property of root system is better under an axial load, and Amorpha fruticosais best suited to planting in an area of wind and hydraulic erosion where the primary load type is axial load.

Key words: axial load, radial load, strength, deformation, Amorpha fruticosais