Root tensile strength and suction-characteristic as indicators for screening species for slope stabilization in extreme climates

Abstract

Root water potentials, essential for understanding drought tolerance and transpiration, can also influence root tensile strength, which is valuable for selecting plants for slope stabilization and erosion control in extreme wet and dry climates. This study investigated the relationships between root suction, water content, diameter and tensile strength of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius and Bougainvillea glabra to explore their potential for slope stabilization. Both species showed an increase in root water content and a decrease in suction with larger root diameter, despite their inherent difference in the tensile strength and suction relationship. The tensile strength versus suction plots clearly showed that Bougainvillea glabra can sustain higher load as root suction increases and is likely to perform better in extremely dry condition than Cnidoscolus aconitifolius. Observation of field performance indicated that this is the case which warrants further study on root suction for selecting species in stabilization of slopes in extreme climates.