Swellings in trunk or in structural timber
Weak points in the trunk can also sometimes be identified by looking for abnormal trunk swellings .
Where the structure of a tree is experiencing unusually high stress ( for example where the structure is compromised or there is a weak point ) the tree may add additional timber to compensate 7 . This is described as adaptive growth . Trunk swellings , or large swellings below unions ( sometimes called elephant ears ) may be a sign that there is decay at that point or included bark in a union .
Risks
Swellings may be a sign of compromised structure .
Although swellings are a sign of adaptive growth , it may be impossible to accurately estimate the loss of strength .
Control measures
Investigate swellings using sounding and probing if possible
Conduct pull or load tests to simulate working loads if loading is to be applied in a manner that could cause failure .
Avoid loading structure if possible .
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