A new plant root type of foundations learned from real plant roots

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K18908
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Civil engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: OTANI JUN 熊本大学, 大学院先端科学研究部(工), 教授 (30203821)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 新たな基礎構造物 / 植物の根 / 引張り試験 / Ｘ線CT / 土と構造物の相互作用

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, a new type of foundation structure is proposed based on the lesson learned from the behavior of real plant roots. This is totally the change of viewpoint from the current situation on the construction activities and the results from this study promises the new development of foundation structures in the field of civil engineering.
First step of this study is precise understanding of the behavior of the real plant roots in the soils. A series of model loading test was conducted to understand the mechanical behavior and in addition to this, an X-ray CT scanner was newly used to visualize the behavior in the soil. The second step is the modeling of this real root behavior. Here, a new foundation model learned from the real plant root was developed and the same model loading test with the first step was conducted. After the comparisons with the real root plants, the new type of foundation structure was proposed.

Free Research Field

土木工学およびその関連分野

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

実際の植物の根が地中において地上の部分をしっかり支えていることは自明である。この挙動に学ぶ新たな基礎形式の開発については、これまで全く実施されていない。また構造的にも植物の根の構造は複雑であり、これを解明することは学術的に大変意義あることであると考える。またこれまで比較的決められた規格と形状での基礎構造物であるが、この現実を大きく飛躍的に変える可能性があるという意味ではその社会的意義は大きいと言える。