Shan et al. (2026) How can the Lateral Profile of Velocity Be Predicted on a Sloping Riverbank With Vegetation?

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Water Resources Research
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-09-01
• Authors: Yuqi Shan, Fujian Li, Sichen Sun, Ziqin Gui, Chao Liu
• DOI: 10.1029/2025wr042387

Research Groups

• Department of Civil Engineering, University of Tokyo
• Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, National Taiwan University

Short Summary

This study investigates the impact of vegetated sloping banks on the velocity profile in a trapezoidal channel using laboratory experiments and develops a new depth-averaged dimensionless equation for predicting velocity profiles.

Objective

• Investigate the effects of flow, vegetation, and side sloping banks on the velocity profile in a trapezoidal channel with a vegetated sloping bank

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Laboratory-scale experiments were conducted using a trapezoidal channel with a length of 1.5 m and a width of 0.3 m.
• Temporal Scale: The experiments were performed under steady-state conditions, with flow rates ranging from 0.01 to 0.05 m³/s.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: A difference solution method was employed to solve the depth-averaged dimensionless equation developed in this study.
• Data sources: Laboratory measurements of velocity profiles were obtained using particle image velocimetry (PIV) and hot-film anemometry.

Main Results

• The lateral profile of depth-averaged velocity across the entire channel is significantly altered by the presence of vegetated sloping banks, with velocities in the bare bed region being higher than those in the vegetated region.
• The new governing equation developed in this study accurately predicts the velocity profiles measured in the laboratory experiments.

Contributions

• This study provides an innovative approach to solving computational models that cannot be solved analytically in natural river environments, offering technical support for river restoration and management.

Funding

• This research was funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of Taiwan under grant number MOST 109-2221-E-002-037.

Citation

@article{Shan2026How,
  author = {Shan, Yuqi and Li, Fujian and Sun, Sichen and Gui, Ziqin and Liu, Chao},
  title = {How can the Lateral Profile of Velocity Be Predicted on a Sloping Riverbank With Vegetation?},
  journal = {Water Resources Research},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1029/2025wr042387},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2025wr042387}
}