Cardiff Treescapes undertake all aspects of tree work including: Reports, Inspections & Pre-Mortgage Inspections, Risk Assessment and Tree Reports, Work Schedules, Sustainable Urban Tree Management, Disease Diagnosis, Sectional Felling, Pruning, Tree Planting, Tree Surgery and Stump Removal
Cardiff Treescapes - Arboricultural Consultants

design & hosting:
Small Business Websites

The PICUS Sonic Tomograph

Until the development of this equipment determining the structural integrity of tree stems has relied upon the use of test bores, visual inspection and a simpler form of ultra sound testing.

With over twenty years of experience in this field we are pleased to be providing this new state of the art service, which after years of research and development by the manufacturer will provide quantified data on the degree of decay in pictorial form. This data can be presented within reports and used along with quantified risk assessments to provide informed management strategies for trees in areas where a risk to property or public may exist. Our aim as always is to provide reports and inspections, which offer the best solutions for retaining mature tress wherever possible.

The problem

Municipalities and private owners are held liable for damages caused by their trees.

Most often trees are broken or thrown because of decay caused by fungal infections. To avoid risks, the safety of trees has to be assessed on a regular basis.

The usual Investigation methods and devices need several years of experience, inspect only small parts of the trunk, or cause severe injuries (e.g. Increment borers, penetrometers).

Their range of application is therefore limited. The PICUS Sonic Tomograph can investigate very large trees, which have been a problem with previous methods. It is easy to apply, and yields precise results.

Linden tree with a large filled cavity.

Application

The measuring is based on the fact that sound wood is a better sound wave conductor than wood damaged by decay.

The device uses a series of sonic sensors which detect waves induced and propagated through the wood. Typically ten to fourteen sonic sensors are strategically placed around the tree. Each sensor is connected to a nail, which is tapped into contact with the wood by a pin hammer at each inspection point. A small tap on a metal pin is all that is required to send sound waves, which are received and measured by the other sensors.

A Picus tomogram is obtained as follows:

  1. Mount the magnetic sensors on the tree by using small nails.
  2. Record the geometry of the tree's cross section.
  3. Induce stress waves with a slight tap on each sensor's knocking pin. All the other sensors measure the velocity of the stress waves.
  4. The Pocket PC shows the results of the measurement graphically, right at the tree.
  5. All results can be printed or copied into standard office software.

The PICUS Sonic Tomograph was developed by two German companies:
argus electronic gmbH and the tree experts from the Institüt fur Gehölze & Landschaft GmbH