Author(s): Mingdeng Zhao; Wenxin Huai; Jie Han; Zhaoding Xie; Junke Guo

Linked Author(s): Jiayang Wu, Wenxin Huai, Junke Guo

Keywords: Habitat restoration; laminar flow; porous media; stormwater treatment; vegetation flow; wetland

Abstract: Wetland flow is currently actively studied because of its applications in stormwater management, wastewater treatment and habitat restoration. This research applies the well-established poroelastic media flow theory to uniform laminar wetland flow through submerged and floating vegetation, where the linear interaction between the pore water and the vegetation skeleton is considered in the equations of motion. The effects of vegetation porosity on the velocity, the shear stress and the energy distributions in different layers are first derived analytically and interpreted graphically and physically. As special cases, the homogeneous water flow, as also floating, submerged and emergent vegetation flows are then discussed. This research provides qualitative understanding of wetland flow on velocity, shear stress and energy distributions, indicating that a plant applies a significant resistance to the flow system and dissipates most of the flow energy. The results serve a benchmark framework for the future study on turbulent vegetation flow.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00221686.2011.641327

Year: 2012