Abstract
Wind-tunnel experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of vegetation, in particular beach grass, on blown sand in terms of elevation changes of a mobile sand bed and distributions of mean wind velocity for various vegetation canopies. For flexible vegetation layer displacement amplitude of vegetation leaf sway was also measured. The results indicate that a vegetation canopy with low height, high density, and vegetation flexibility is effective in reducing the sand-transport rate. Within and above a canopy of flexible vegetation, the vibrations of leaves increases the air turbulence, which creates a complex interaction between the mean wind velocity and the air turbulence, and thereby reduces the wind velocity in the vegetation area; consequently, the sand-transport rate decreases.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1175-1182 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Journal of Coastal Research |
Volume | 23 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2007 Sep 1 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Aeolian sand transport
- Beach erosion
- Grass
- Saltation
- Wind tunnel
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology
- Water Science and Technology
- Earth-Surface Processes