A study of flow in open channels with vegetation: Experiments and numerical models

Abstract

In this study, the flow in open channels with vegetation was experimentally and numerically investigated. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements and a computational fluid dynamics model are presented. In order to validate the results of the numerical model, the numerical results were compared with experimental data from the PIV measurements. The comparison is carried out for two cases of porous bed. To simulate the porous bed, two thicknesses (2 and 6 cm) of grass-like flexible vegetation with the same porosity (ϵ = 0.80) were used. The vertical distributions of velocities above the flexible vegetation for the same flow conditions were evaluated. In all cases there was good agreement between the experimental and numerical results (relative difference under 12%). © 2017 by Begell House, Inc.