A Comprehensive Study on Young Roots of Acacia mangium Willd. Species for Soil Bioengineering

ABSTRACT Soil bioengineering has been leveraged for controlling shallow landslides and soil erosion. Acacia mangium Willd. species is widely used for soil bioengineering, but its root properties have not been extensively investigated. This study aimed to measure the various properties (i.e., morphological traits, biomechanical properties, chemical composition and root reinforcement) for establishing roots of A. mangium Willd. species through a series of laboratory experiments (i.e., rhizobox observation, uniaxial tensile test, direct shear and volumetric water content and suction monitoring). The results underscored the rapid growth (i.e., 0.43 ± 0.01 cm/day) and highlighted variations in “side” root area ratios of A. mangium Willd. species with depth. Root orientation also demonstrated a significant correlation with root diameter following a linear model (p