Patch-scale representation of vegetation within hydraulic models

Marjoribanks, T.I.; Hardy, R.J.; Lane, S.N.; Tancock, M.J.

doi:10.1002/esp.4015

Patch-scale representation of vegetation within hydraulic models

Marjoribanks, T.I.; Hardy, R.J.; Lane, S.N.; Tancock, M.J.

Authors

T.I. Marjoribanks

Professor Richard Hardy r.j.hardy@durham.ac.uk
Professor

S.N. Lane

M.J. Tancock

Abstract

Submerged aquatic vegetation affects flow, sediment and ecological processes within rivers. Quantifying these effects is key to effective river management. Despite a wealth of research into vegetated flows, the detailed flow characteristics around real plants in natural channels are still poorly understood. Here we present a new methodology for representing vegetation patches within computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of vegetated channels. Vegetation is represented using a Mass Flux Scaling Algorithm (MFSA) and drag term within the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Equations, which account for the mass and momentum effects of the vegetation respectively. The model is applied using three different grid resolutions (0.2, 0.1 & 0.05 m) using time-averaged solution methods and compared to field data. The results show that the model reproduces the complex spatial flow heterogeneity within the channel and that increasing the resolution leads to enhanced model accuracy. Future applications of the model to the prediction of channel roughness, sedimentation and key eco-hydraulic variables are presented, likely to be valuable for informing effective river management.

Citation

Marjoribanks, T., Hardy, R., Lane, S., & Tancock, M. (2017). Patch-scale representation of vegetation within hydraulic models. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 42(5), 699-710. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4015

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Jul 28, 2016
Online Publication Date	Sep 15, 2016
Publication Date	Apr 1, 2017
Deposit Date	Dec 3, 2015
Publicly Available Date	Aug 10, 2016
Journal	Earth Surface Processes and Landforms
Print ISSN	0197-9337
Electronic ISSN	1096-9837
Publisher	British Society for Geomorphology
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	42
Issue	5
Pages	699-710
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4015

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