Endor log trap: How much force?

[bz249]

as long as you don't you the density of the trees themselves, there's no point in making a mathematical calculation. they are alien trees after all, and could just as well be 4 or 5 times as dense as our standard earth tree^^

Order of magnitude estimations are possible since it is highly unlikely that a tree is more dense than osmium, the densest metal. The yield strength of technical material also varies with orders of magnitude depending the structure, preparation...etc, so it is still informative.

[Batman]

My search-Fu deserts me for the time being but hasn't this been done before? IIRC assuming those trees were redwoods the exact same thing would have happened to a modern day IFV leave alone the AVR the AT-ST actually is.

[YT300000]

My search-Fu deserts me for the time being but hasn't this been done before? IIRC assuming those trees were redwoods the exact same thing would have happened to a modern day IFV leave alone the AVR the AT-ST actually is.

I think the assumption in that analysis (wasn't it on Bill Brown's site?) was that the grenade launchers did explode, which caused the vast majority of the damage.

[dworkin]

Explosives (from the rebels) set into the base of the poles? It only looks like a primitive trap.

[Dooey Jo]

Those would have to be some pretty tough logs if they can contain explosives that blow up an AT-ST, without being damaged themselves. The grenade launcher seems more plausible, especially as the walker that falls over also explodes for some reason.

So how flimsy would the armor on an AT-ST have to be for these logs to crush it?

I can't find any information on how to calculate that, but it seems to me that the result must depend on the pressure exerted by the logs, as well as the armour's thickness, not just its strength.

But looking at what happens when a tree falls on a car in real life, where the speeds involved are often lower (although so is the thickness of the "armour", I'm sure), I'd say it's not an entirely implausible situation.