Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 May 2011
This study theoretically and experimentally investigates the velocity distributions of the interface boundary layer region in a porous medium. By combining a quadratic non-Darcy law and a practical eddy viscosity model, an analytical solution is derived and presented. Three additional parameters, i.e., the depth of the interface boundary layer region, the slip velocity, and proportionality constant, are contained in the analytical solution. The measured experimental data show the depth of the interface boundary layer region only depends on the characteristics of the porous medium rather than the relative flow depth, bed slop, or Reynolds number. The values of the slip velocity are found to increase with increasing relative mean clear fluid velocities. The proportionality constant plays an important role in modeling the penetration of turbulence and the associated momentum transfer. The measured experimental velocity distribution is used to evaluate the accuracy of the analytical predicted profile. The analytical results obtained in this study are in agreement with the measured experimental results.