High-resolution numerical investigation of hydrodynamics and sediment transport within emergent vegetation canopy

High resolution Large Eddy Simulations of flow through staggered rigid emergent vegetation patch were performed using a spectral-element based solver, Nek5000. The staggered pattern of vegetation was similar to experiments conducted on the Odell-Kovasznay racetrack flume where a 5 cm gap was created within the vegetation patch to measure flow velocity using a 3D PIV setup. The main objective of this study was to investigate if flow conditions in the gap are representative of that within the array of vegetation. Flow characteristics such as time averaged velocity, turbulent kinetic energy, bed shear stress and turbulence intensity were investigated for increasing Reynolds number of the flow, and it was found that experimental measurements within the gap would be non-representative of flow conditions within the array. Further, a suspended sediment transport model was developed in Nek5000 and was used to simulate suspended sediment transport within a patch of emergent rigid vegetation. The results were found to be in good agreement with the theory, making it probably one of the first successful attempts at high resolution LES of suspended sediment transport through vegetation canopy.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Civil Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2018

Author dc:creator

• Ranjan, Pallav

Contributors dc:contributor

• Tinoco Lopez, Rafael Omar

• Suspended Sediment Transport
• Vegetation
• High-Resolution Large Eddy Simulation
• Nek5000

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2018 Pallav Ranjan

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/101578

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/101578