Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1722102 | Journal of Hydrodynamics, Ser. B | 2014 | 10 Pages |
Abstract
Inert surrogates can avoid husbandry and adaptation problems of live vegetation in laboratories. Surrogates are generally used for experiments on vegetation-hydrodynamics interactions, but it is unclear how well they replicate field conditions. Here, surrogates for the brown macroalgae Laminaria digitata were developed to reproduce its hydraulic roughness. Plant shape, stiffness and buoyancy of L. digitata were evaluated and compared to the properties of inert materials. Different surrogate materials and shapes were exposed to unidirectional flow. It is concluded that buoyancy is an important factor in low flow conditions and a basic shape might be sufficient to model complex shaped plants resulting in the same streamlined shape.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Engineering
Ocean Engineering