A Review of Research on Tree Risk Assessment Methods

Abstract

As an important part of the urban environment, trees have certain risks while living in harmony with humans. For example, the failure of trees in extreme weather may cause casualties and damage to public and private; the decline and death of old and valuable trees can have an impact on the diversity and cultural value of trees. This paper outlines the theories related to tree risk and the development of tree risk assessment, evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of various tree risk assessment methods in existing studies, and explains some factors affecting the bearing capacity and related applications using knowledge of tree mechanics. Approaches in modern probing techniques are applied to study the response and loading of tree crowns and branches under wind loads, the application of different non-destructive testing techniques in visual assessment for detecting internal defects and root distribution of trees, and the role and impact of objective quantitative test results on tree risk assessment. Finally, the future development direction of tree risk assessment is predicted, which provides an important reference for research on tree risk assessment.

Keywords

• urban tree
• tree risk assessment
• non-destructive testing
• risk assessment methods