Numerical study of the flow through and around mangrove-inspired structures

This work aims to study the flow and coherent structures developed through and around different configurations of a circular array of mangrove-inspired structures, modeled as rigid cylinders, with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). We developed two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) simulations to predict hydrodynamic forces and to understand the role of relevant mechanisms of the flow dynamics on the near and far wake of the circular array. We perform a detailed study of the wake to analyze the evolution of the vorticity and vortex shedding in the downstream direction of the mangrove. We validate the results of the simulations with the PIV experiments performed by [1,2]. Finally, we discuss the impact of the mangrove-inspired structure layout on sediment transport and shoreline erosion. Moreover, we highlight the role and benefits of numerical simulations of simplified models in the early design stage of engineered mangroves for coastal protection.
References:
1. Kazemi, A., Castillo, L., & Curet, O. M. (2021). Mangrove roots model suggest an optimal porosity to prevent erosion. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1-14.
2. Kazemi, A., Van de Riet, K., & Curet, O. M. (2017). Hydrodynamics of mangrove-type root models: the effect of porosity, spacing ratio and flexibility. Bioinspiration & biomimetics, 12(5), 056003.