[P01-02] Exploring the Tree Branch Tapering under the Uniform Stress Axiom
Keywords:Uniform stress hypothesis, Branch tapering, Mechanical optimization structure, Beam deflection
Trees often embody the stress uniform distribution; i.e., they grow their trunks and branches autonomously so that the stresses generated on the surface are uniform. But this fact poses a question: what shape of tree branches can achieve such a uniform stress distribution? In the present work, we have calculated the equilibrium state of a main branch, which was affected only by its own weight, within a small deformation range, and examined the effects of the branch tapering and cross-sectional shape variation on the deflection curve and stress distribution of the branch.