Mechanical efficiency and bending capacity of senile coconut palm stems: a 3D finite element approach

Abstract:

The research that constitutes this paper is part of a series of publications that aim at understanding, from an engineering perspective, the form-structure-function relationship of senile coconut palms as foundation for biomimetic applications. This study particularly aims at determining the mechanical efficiency and bending capacity, at the integral level of hierarchical structure (ie stem structure), of senile coconut palms (greater than 80 years old). To achieve these objectives, the characteristic coconut palm stem green tissue (referred to as cocowood structure herein) was compared, by means of three dimensional (3D) finite element analysis (FEA), with a tree-like structure of uniform density and fibres parallel to the stem’s axial direction. Thus, a total of 12 FEAs were performed over 3D finite element (FE) models resembling both structures. The mechanical efficiency was calculated at six key elevations along the FE models, and the analyses to determine the bending capacity of each structure were carried out for six wind speeds in different categories according to the Fujita tornado scale. Significant findings were achieved from this study that highlighted the cocowood’s optimum structure.

Año de publicación:

2015

Keywords:

Fuente:

google