Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » National Sedimentation Laboratory » Watershed Physical Processes Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #196855
Title: Modeling the effects of emergent vegetation on open channel flow using a lattice model

Author
item JIMENEZ, FRANCISCO - UNIV OF CORDOBA
item GIRALDEZ, JUAN - UNIV OF CORDOBA
item LAGUNA, ANA - UNIV OF CORDOBA
item BENNETT, SEAN - UNIV OF BUFFALO
item Alonso, Carlos

Submitted to: International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/17/2007
Publication Date: 4/5/2007
Citation: Jimenez, F., Giraldez, J., Laguna, A., Bennett, S.J., Alonso, C.V. 2007. Modeling the effects of emergent vegetation on open channel flow using a lattice model. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Fluids. 55:655-672 DOI: 10.1001/fld.1488.

Interpretive Summary: There is a need to understand the interactions between stream flows, the sediment loads they carry, and vegetation because of the growing demand for river restoration utilizing riparian corridors. To further this knowledge, computer simulations were conducted with a new particle-tracking model that offers same desirable advantages over standard computational models. The simulated results were compared with measurements made in a laboratory channel model that was systematically vegetated with emergent, wooden-dowel clusters of varying density. Results show that the computer model is a valid tool to simulate the interaction between stream flows and riparian clusters. The simulation runs correctly reproduced the observed vertical structures, flow separation, and dead zones associated with the vegetative clusters. An important outcome of this study is to demonstrate the potential of this modeling tool for assisting in the design of vegetation plantings to transform straight, degraded stream corridors into more functional, aesthetically-pleasing meandering channels.

Technical Abstract: A two-dimensional lattice model is developed to describe the influence of vegetation on the turbulent flow structure in an open channel. The model includes the influence of vegetation density on the frictional effect of the channel bed and walls. For the walls, a slip boundary condition is considered as an alternative to overcome the no-slip boundary condition limitations in turbulent flows. The drag stress exerted by the flow on the vegetation is also taken into account. The proposed lattice model is used to simulate the experimental results reported from the study of the effects of alternate vegetated zones on the open channel flow. The obtained results show that the lattice model approach is a valid tool for describing these kinds of flows.