Vegetative wave damping as bank protection

Vegetation is increasingly used on banks and along the riverside. Natural protection of banks against waves and erosion in one of its purposes among other biological and scenery purposes. A common type of vegetation is reed. Here, wave damping by reed is studied by means of a numerical model in which interaction of wave motion and reed is modelled. The model is able to simulate the wave motion by using a depth-average formulation and the motion of reed by using a simple-static approach. For calibration and validation of the model data-sets from laboratory measurements have been used. The model can predict wave damping and the reduction of fluid velocities as a result of the appearance of reed on arbitrary slopes. Parameters like diameter, length, density and elasticity of the reed-material and the density of the vegetation can be varied. The model has been verivied for reed but it is likely that other vegetation can also be dealt with using the same approach.