Determining Resistance of Woody Vegetation and Shrubs in Floodplains and Compound Channels
Location
Space Dynamics Laboratory
Event Website
http://water.usu.edu/
Start Date
3-26-2004 10:15 AM
End Date
3-26-2004 10:30 AM
Description
Previous research has been conducted on vegetation such as dense layered grasses and on the rigid blockage of cylindrical tree trunks. However, little has been studied on the resistance effects of plants and shrubs that are either submerged or partially submerged by turbulent flows. The flexible stems and varying shapes of the plant's leaf mass greatly complicate the understanding of resistance. The deformation of plant shape with flow precludes the use of a constant blockage or plant density in predicting resistance.
This paper presents laboratory tests of vegetation with different plant types, sizes, densities, and combinations of plants. Testing included variation in flow depths, variation in velocity, the effect of plants with and without leaves, and variation in the submergence of the plants. A methodology for determining vegetation resistance was developed for application with field data, estimated plant characteristics, and compound channels. Additional field tests were later conducted to verify the methodology and set of equations developed from the laboratory tests.
This abstract is based on a research project funded by the U.S. Army Engineers Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS. Project Name - Flood Control Channels; Work Unit Title - Stability of Vegetative Cover in Flood Control Channels; Work Unit No - 337A3; Federal Contract No - DACW39-94-K-0009.
Determining Resistance of Woody Vegetation and Shrubs in Floodplains and Compound Channels
Space Dynamics Laboratory
Previous research has been conducted on vegetation such as dense layered grasses and on the rigid blockage of cylindrical tree trunks. However, little has been studied on the resistance effects of plants and shrubs that are either submerged or partially submerged by turbulent flows. The flexible stems and varying shapes of the plant's leaf mass greatly complicate the understanding of resistance. The deformation of plant shape with flow precludes the use of a constant blockage or plant density in predicting resistance.
This paper presents laboratory tests of vegetation with different plant types, sizes, densities, and combinations of plants. Testing included variation in flow depths, variation in velocity, the effect of plants with and without leaves, and variation in the submergence of the plants. A methodology for determining vegetation resistance was developed for application with field data, estimated plant characteristics, and compound channels. Additional field tests were later conducted to verify the methodology and set of equations developed from the laboratory tests.
This abstract is based on a research project funded by the U.S. Army Engineers Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS. Project Name - Flood Control Channels; Work Unit Title - Stability of Vegetative Cover in Flood Control Channels; Work Unit No - 337A3; Federal Contract No - DACW39-94-K-0009.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/runoff/2004/AllAbstracts/27