The effect of reed beds on wave attenuation and suspended sediment concentration

Date

2013-01-01

Author

Oğuz, Elif
Elginoz, Nilay
Koroglu, Aysun
Kabdaşlı, Mehmet Sedat

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The effect of emergent and submerged vegetation on uniform and oscillatory flow conditions has been intensively studied by researchers in the last two decades. It has been determined that vegetation affects wave characteristics and cause wave attenuation especially in shallow waters where wave orbitals are in interaction with vegetation. Consequently they affect sediment deposition and resuspension acting as a sink. The aim of this study is to determine wave attenuation due to vegetation, and to identify the effect of emergent vegetation on suspended sediment concentration. In this experimental study, a reed bed was established on a sandy bottom in a wave flume in ITU Hydraulics Laboratory. Regular waves with different wave steepness were generated in the flume and water surface elevations through the reed bed were measured using resistance type wave gauges. Suspended sediment concentration time series were measured using OPCON along depth. The gradual wave attenuation due to reed bed was determined and wave transmission coefficients for different waves were found between 0.35 and 0.55 and these values are reversely proportional with wave steepness. It has been found out that wave attenuation also decreases with increasing KC numbers. Suspended sediment concentration measurements inside the reed bed were a little bit harder to interpret, but a decrease in concentration; before the waves reach the reed bed and after the waves left the reed bed, was determined. In spite of many studies on effects of vegetation on flow conditions there is still a lack of understanding vegetation-flow interaction and sedimentation around them. This study is an attempt to make a contribution on this topic.

Subject Keywords

Earth-Surface Processes, Ecology, Water Science and Technology

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/35245

Collections

Department of Civil Engineering, Article