Effects of submerged vegetation on flow and turbulence characteristics at the apex bend of a meandering flume

Understanding flow characteristics and turbulent structure in the presence of vegetation is important with respect to environmental processes as sediment transport and mixing of transported quantities. In the present paper attention is focused on the kinematic and turbulent processes in presence of flexible submerged vegetation. In particular, the effect of vegetation on the flux of mass distribution and the process of transport is investigated. The analysis is performed with the aid of detailed experimental data collected in a laboratory channel both in the absence and in presence of flexible and submerged vegetation. Results essentially confirms that mass exchanges in the presence of vegetation are strongly influenced by the presence of vegetated stems and by turbulent structures which form between vegetated and no-vegetated zones. The presence of flexible and dense vegetation determines a reduction of the size of turbulent structures and limits the transport process.