The influence of large wood and rootwad on flow patterns and bed morphology in a moving bed channel

Abstract

Studying large wood in river channels can help gain insight on their form and processes. Over the preceding decade, laboratory and field experiments have been used to explain wood dynamics, flow patterns and sediment transport. Moreover, field experiments are sparse, while laboratory experiments have focused mostly on fixed bed to capture their entrainment. To enhance our scientific understanding on logs of different morphology, this study designed an experimental flume to investigate the effects of log presence on flow and bed topography in a moving bed channel. Two log configurations were used, with and without rootwad. Wood pieces had a length of 0.2 m, diameter 0.05 m and a density of approximately 760 kg/m3. Rootwad were simulated by joining 0.06 m wood pieces, having a diameter of 0.02 m to the base of the log pieces at an angle of 30°. The experiments were carried out in a 4 m long flume, 0.6 m width and 0.6 m deep, and having a slope of 0.001. The experimental bed zone was paved with uniform sand, d50 = 0.750 mm, of 0.1 m thickness. Flow in the channel was set such that it was below the critical flow for wood entrainment, and it ranged between 0.0015 to 0.005 m3/s. Three different orientations of the log were considered, namely parallel, oblique and transverse to flow. Bed evolution was monitored using a camera and a laser mounted on a moving motor frame. This research shows that log orientation and the presence of rootwad dictate bed elevation changes and stability of single wood pieces. In addition, the contrast of morphological changes caused by the presence of abundant wood in a moving bed is crucial in determining large wood appropriate for river restoration. Our study provokes fascinating questions for future investigations.