Effect of submerged flexible vegetation on flow structure and resistance

Flume studies were carried out to investigate flow structure above flexible vegetation. A new data set of mean velocity profiles and turbulence characteristics is reported from experiments with wheat. The flow above the wheat reasonably followed the log law. Maximum values of the turbulence intensity urms and Reynolds stress −u′w′¯ were found approximately at the level of the maximum observed deflected plant height. A recent approach for describing vertical velocity profiles above aquatic vegetation [Stephan, U., 2002. Zum Fließwiderstandsverhalten flexibler Vegetation. Wiener Mitteilungen 180. Doctoral Thesis. Institute of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Water Resources Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Vienna.] was evaluated with these new data, which represent a different vegetal roughness type. The approach proved to be successful beyond the original scope. However, a new definition for the shear velocity based on the deflected plant height is suggested. The benefit of this modification is that complex turbulence measurements can be avoided, which enhances the practical applicability of the approach.