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(American Journal of Botany. 2006;93:1449-1454.)
© 2006 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

Physiology and Biochemistry

Fracture mechanics and its relevance to botanical structures1

Tony Farquhar2 and Yong Zhao

University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Mechanical Engineering, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, Maryland 21250 USA

ABSTRACT

In the field of fracture mechanics, an analytical framework has been established for understanding the mechanical failure of any structure made of inherently flawed materials. In the context of botany, this includes an extraordinarily wide variety of turgid and/or woody structures made of cellulose-based tissues, the diverse soils penetrated by their roots, and a multitude of plant-based commodities and foodstuffs. The goal of this article is to provide an overview of the theory of engineering fracture mechanics and to identify some special characteristics of wood and other plant-based materials that require further development in this area.

Key Words: crack • fracture mechanics • fracture toughness • stress intensity factor




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