Effects of a 3-D, Aquatic Vegetation Patch on the Flow: a Numerical Approach

This numerical study investigated the effects of a vegetation patch on the flow of a channel. The numerical approach consisted of a CFD, 3-D model that applied the RANS equations to simulate the flow field, and the VOF model to represent the free surface. The patch altered the initial flow by inducing regions of reduced velocity in the patch wake (approximately 40% reduction), and regions of enhanced velocity around of the patch (approximately 16% increase), and these regions extended throughout the water depth. Also, the patch induced a small change of 3.83% in the water surface, in the streamwise direction.