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THE EFFECTS OF VEGETATION HEIGHT AND DENSITY ON FLOW AND TURBULENCE WITHIN AND BEHIND A PATCH OF VEGETATION

  • Masaya Yoshikai
  • , Julia C. Mullarney
  • , Vinay Nelli
  • , Rémi Chassagne
  • , William Nardin
  • , Rafael O. Tinoco

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Coastal vegetation often grows in spatially distributed patches. However, detailed measurements of mean and turbulent flows accounting for such spatial heterogeneity are rare. We present measurements from manipulative experiments in the field by creating artificial patches of vegetation mimics with varied vegetation density and height. We found that: (1) an increase in vegetation density substantially reduces flow velocity and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) within a patch, and (2) an increase in vegetation height induced a contrasting effect, causing faster flows and greater TKE within the patch, especially for a dense patch. The same trend was obtained in numerical hydrodynamic simulations. Elevated TKE was observed behind dense vegetation patches, due to large-scale turbulence created by Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, compared to lower TKE behind sparser patches. These results suggest that vegetation height and density create diverse spatial patterns in TKE around patches, while inducing contrasting effects on flow and turbulence within patches.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationBook of Extended Abstracts of the 41st IAHR World Congress, 2025
EditorsAdrian Wing-Keung Law, Jenn Wei Er
PublisherInternational Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research
Pages1576-1577
Number of pages2
ISBN (Print)9789083558950
StatePublished - 2025
EventBook of Extended Abstracts of the 41st IAHR World Congress, 2025 - Singapore, Singapore
Duration: Jun 22 2025Jun 27 2025

Publication series

NameProceedings of the IAHR World Congress
ISSN (Print)2521-7119
ISSN (Electronic)2521-716X

Conference

ConferenceBook of Extended Abstracts of the 41st IAHR World Congress, 2025
Country/TerritorySingapore
CitySingapore
Period6/22/256/27/25

Keywords

  • coastal vegetation
  • field measurement
  • turbulence
  • vegetation patch

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Civil and Structural Engineering
  • Water Science and Technology
  • Ocean Engineering
  • Engineering (miscellaneous)

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