How physically strong are plants and trees?

Question

Most of us have probably noticed saplings which have pushed themselves through thick tarmac or even cracks in concrete - and not to mention root systems. So, how strong is this vegetation? And could the force be compared to man-made engineering such as hydraulics? Was hydraulics/pneumatics in engineering founded on the pure fact of studying nature?

How do plants create such forces in energy? How do they do it? How can this true force and power be measured?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

it depends on the plant / tree

Answer 2

Strong enough for you to smoke, and then chill.......then flip the **** out

Answer 3

Its a bit of a misnomer to think that the plant actually pushes aside the concrete etc, most root systems use existing weaknesses and then grow using the natural expansion and contraction of the media they find themselves in. In the case of plants in tarmac the lifting by the roots is normally assisted by the plant swaying in the wind which leverages the root structure upwards from below allowing further room for expansion and so forth.
Cliff dwelling plants such as Budelia that set seed on walls and so on generally do so in a similar manner infiltrating voids created by frost damage in masonry which then allows further penetration by rain and so on.
So in a sense the plant simply acts as a wedge that slides further in relentlessly, if very slowly, as circumstances allow it to, the root structure itself is actually quite fragile at least initially.