458 / 2024-03-26 09:13:07

Experimental analysis of river development processes with floodplain vegetation

Vegetation, bank erosion, meandering, bend curvature, meander migration

This study investigates the impact of riparian vegetation in the floodplain on channel stability, bar behavior, changes in bend curvature, and meandering channel migration. In channels with riparian vegetation, over time, meander width remains relatively constant, but selective bank erosion leads to meander development and downstream movement. During this process, bank erosion and changes in the riverbed are not significant, and the channel maintains relatively constant conditions with reduced sediment discharge and minimal variability. As the density of vegetation increases, bank erosion rates decrease. With an increase in dimensionless tractive force, the migration speed of bars increases. In conditions with riparian vegetation and well-developed bars, the migration speed of bars is relatively low due to the forcing effects on meanders and banks. Bank erosion rates and dimensionless bend curvature are greatest when there is no riparian vegetation but decrease in conditions with vegetation. Furthermore, the relationship between lateral migration rate and dimensionless bend curvature is similar to that of bank erosion rates. Therefore, riparian vegetation enhances channel stability, influencing bank erosion, meander curvature, and meander migration.