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habtools (version 1.1.1)

csf: Calculate mechanical shape factor

Description

Calculates mechanical vulnerability of rigid, cantilever-type structural elements.

Usage

csf(mesh, z_min, res, keep_data = FALSE)

Value

A value for csf or if keep_data = TRUE, a list containing the colony shape factor (csf), the parallel to flow (dy) and perpendicular (dx) diameters of the cantilever base, and the bending moment (mom).

Arguments

mesh

A triangular mesh of class mesh3d.

z_min

The z plane about which csf should be calculated. Defaults to min(z).

res

The resolution to be used for the calculation. Defaults to the resolution of the mesh.

keep_data

Logical. Return list with supplemental info? Defaults to FALSE.

Details

This function calculates the mechanical vulnerability of a structural element, like a hard coral colony, to fluid flow. While developed for corals, and originally called the Colony Shape Factor (CSF), the function is applicable to any attached, rigid cantilever type structure. CSF is dimensionless and can be used to compare the vulnerability among structures. Mechanistically, if the CSF of a structure becomes greater than the dislodgement mechanical threshold, breakage occurs. This threshold is a function of material tensile strength and inversely related to fluid velocity and density (Madin & Connolly 2006).

References

Madin JS & Connolly SR (2006) Ecological consequences of major hydrodynamic disturbances on coral reefs. Nature. 444:477-480.

Examples

Run this code
csf(mcap, z_min = -3.65)
csf(mcap, z_min = -3.65, keep_data = TRUE)

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