Author(s): J. Aberle; T. Schoneboom; B. Rhiner
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Vegetation; Bed shear stress; Drag force; Hydraulic Resistance; Leaf Area Index
Abstract: Hydraulic resistance of floodplain flows depends on the drag exerted by the plants, which for natural vegetation, depends on biomechanical and structural properties as well as foliage. However, until today, most studies related to the estimation of flow resistance of emergent vegetation have been carried out under idealised conditions using cylindrical roughness elements, regular element spacing, etc. Only few studies focused on the influence of the leaf mass distribution on flow resistance and the flow field. In this study, preliminary results of a study are presented, in which direct and simultaneous measurements of drag forces exerted by artificial flexible elements with different leaf mass are used to investigate the influence of leaf mass on drag forces, flow resistance, and the flow field. The results are discussed with respect to flexibility, vertical leaf mass distribution and hydraulics.
Year: 2011