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On the use of simplified geometries to represent turbulent flow over coral reefs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 January 2025

J.F. Hamilton Open the ORCID record for J.F. Hamilton [Opens in a new window] ,
B.Z. Kelley ,
S.G. Monismith Open the ORCID record for S.G. Monismith [Opens in a new window]  and
J.R. Koseff Open the ORCID record for J.R. Koseff [Opens in a new window]
J.F. Hamilton*
Affiliation:
Bob and Norma Street Environmental Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
B.Z. Kelley
Affiliation:
Bob and Norma Street Environmental Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
S.G. Monismith
Affiliation:
Bob and Norma Street Environmental Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
J.R. Koseff
Affiliation:
Bob and Norma Street Environmental Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
*
†Email address for correspondence: jhamil@stanford.edu
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Abstract

Hydrodynamic consequences of using simpler geometric shapes to represent coral canopies are examined through a laboratory study. A canopy composed of cylinders is compared with a canopy composed of 3-D-printed, scaled down coral heads in a recirculating flume. Vertical velocity profiles are measured at four horizontal locations for each canopy type, and mean velocity and turbulence statistics are compared both within and above the canopy. A narrow, defined wake on the scale of the canopy element is present behind the cylinder canopy elements that is absent in the coral canopy. There is also a peak in shear stress at the top of the cylinder canopy, likely due to the sharp edge at the top of the cylinder. Above the canopy, however, turbulence statistics and friction velocities behave similarly for both canopy types. Therefore, the results indicate we may reasonably get coral reef drag estimates from canopies with simpler geometric surrogates, especially when the mean free-stream and within-canopy flow speeds are matched to environmental conditions.

JFM classification

Geophysical and Geological Flows: Ocean processes Turbulent Flows: Shear layer turbulence Turbulent Flows: Turbulent boundary layers
Type
JFM Papers
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 1004 , 10 February 2025 , A11
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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