Verification of Methods for Determining Flow Resistance Coefficients for Floodplains with Flexible Vegetation

Abstract

In terms of the hydraulic effect of plant flexibility, of particular note is the calculation formula that was proposed by Kouwen, which combines the roughness of the riverbed with the plant community parameter MEJ (including the modulus of elasticity). Kouwen’s method was developed on the basis of laboratory experiments with low vegetation (grasses). According to the authors of this work, the method can also be used to evaluate the resistance of medium vegetation (shrubs) deforming under the influence of water flow. The main objective of the presented research was to verify the application of Kouwen’s method in order to calculate the flow resistance coefficient λ for quasi-regular formed plant obstructions (e.g., basket willow plantations). In a water laboratory, a comprehensive study of the biomechanical and hydraulic properties was carried out for flexible shrubs in floodplains. The results of the hydraulic measurements were compared with the results of the calculations that were made by four various methods using the Chezy-Manning, Garbrecht/Pasche, Lindner/Kaiser, and Kouwen formulas. For all of the flows through the vegetated zone that was tested, the best results were obtained when using the Kouwen calculation procedure and the worst were found for the Lindner formula, which did not include information on the plant flexibility.