HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (4) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Speck, O. Articles by Spatz, H.-C. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Speck, O. Articles by Spatz, H.-C. Agricola Articles by Speck, O. Articles by Spatz, H.-C.

Damped oscillations of the giant reed Arundo donax (Poaceae)¹

Competence Network Biomimetics, Plant Biomechanics Group Freiburg, Fakultät für Biologie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Schänzlestr. 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany

The slender upright culms of the giant reed (Arundo donax L.) are often exposed to dynamic wind loads causing significant swaying. The giant reed has slightly tapered hollow stems (4–6 m high) with flat leaves and an extensive underground rhizomatous system with solid branches bearing adventitious roots. Quantitative analyses of videorecordings prove that A. donax responds to dynamic deflections of the stem with damped harmonic bending oscillations. The logarithmic decrement can be used to calculate the relative damping, as a measure of the plant's capacity to dissipate vibrational energy. Plants with leaves have a significantly higher damping compared to plants without leaves. A comparison of the relative damping of plants with and without leaves shows that this finding is only partly due to aerodynamic resistance of the leaves. Structural damping also contributes considerably to the overall damping of the foliate A. donax stem. By stepwise removal of the underground plant organs the influence of rhizome, roots, and soil on the vibrational behavior was determined. The data indicate that underground plant organs as well as leaf sheaths covering the nodes have no significant influence on damping.

Key Words: aerodynamic damping • Arundo donax • biomechanics • material damping • oscillation • plants • structural damping

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H.-C. Spatz, F. Bruchert, and J. Pfisterer Multiple resonance damping or how do trees escape dangerously large oscillations? Am. J. Botany, October 1, 2007; 94(10): 1603 - 1611. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Milwich, T. Speck, O. Speck, T. Stegmaier, and H. Planck Biomimetics and technical textiles: solving engineering problems with the help of nature's wisdom Am. J. Botany, October 1, 2006; 93(10): 1455 - 1465. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]