Wind tunnel measurements of crown streamlining and drag relationships for three conifer species

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 666-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Rudnicki ◽  
Stephen J Mitchell ◽  
Michael D Novak

Estimating the wind force or drag acting on tree crowns is central to understanding both the chronic effects of wind and the calculation of critical wind speed in windthrow prediction models. The classical drag equation is problematic for porous, flexible tree crowns whose frontal area declines as wind speeds increase and branches streamline. Juvenile crowns of three morphologically different conifers, western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud.), were exposed to wind speeds from 4 to 20 m/s in a wind tunnel. At 20 m/s, streamlining reduced the frontal area by 54% for redcedar, 39% for hemlock, and 36% for lodgepole pine. Crown drag coefficients calculated using frontal area in still air varied with wind speed. At 20 m/s, they were 0.22, 0.47, and 0.47 for these species, respectively. Drag was proportional to the product of mass and wind speed and also to the product of wind speed squared and wind speed specific frontal area. Lodgepole pine and redcedar had lower drag per unit of branch mass than did hemlock. Removing branches by pruning had little effect on drag per unit branch mass.

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 389-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugh J Barclay

Leaf angle distributions are important in assessing both the flexibility of a plant's response to differing daily and seasonal sun angles and also the variability in the proportion of total leaf area visible in remotely sensed images. Leaf angle distributions are presented for six conifer species, Abies grandis (Dougl. ex D. Don) Lindl., Thuja plicata Donn. ex D. Don, Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg., Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. and Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud. var. latifolia. The leaf angles were calculated by measuring four foliar quantities, and then the distributions of leaf angles are cast in three forms: distributions of (i) the angle of the long axis of the leaf from the vertical for the range 0–180°; (ii) the angle of the long axis of the leaf for the range 0–90°; and (iii) the angle of the plane of the leaf for the range 0–90°. Each of these are fit to the ellipsoidal distribution to test the hypothesis that leaf angles in conifers are sufficiently random to fit the ellipsoidal distribution. The fit was generally better for planar angles and for longitudinal angles between 0° and 90° than for longitudinal angles between 0° and 180°. The fit was also better for Tsuga heterophylla, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Picea sitchensis, and Pinus contorta than for Abies grandis and Thuja plicata. This is probably because Abies and Thuja are more shade tolerant than the other species, and so the leaves in Abies and Thuja are preferentially oriented near the horizontal and are much less random than for the other species. Comparisons of distributions on individual twigs, whole branches, entire trees, and groups of trees were done to test the hypothesis that angle distributions will depend on scale, and these comparisons indicated that the apparent randomness and goodness-of-fit increased on passing to each larger unit (twigs up to groups of trees).Key words: conifer, leaf angles, ellipsoidal distribution.


Author(s):  
Kazutoshi Matsuda ◽  
Kusuo Kato ◽  
Kouki Arise ◽  
Hajime Ishii

According to the results of conventional wind tunnel tests on rectangular cross sections with side ratios of B/D = 2–8 (B: along-wind length (m), D: cross-wind length (m)), motion-induced vortex excitation was confirmed. The generation of motion-induced vortex excitation is considered to be caused by the unification of separated vortices from the leading edge and secondary vortices at the trailing edge [1]. Spring-supported test for B/D = 1.18 was conducted in a closed circuit wind tunnel (cross section: 1.8 m high×0.9 m wide) at Kyushu Institute of Technology. Vibrations were confirmed in the neighborhoods of reduced wind speeds Vr = V/fD = 2 and Vr = 8 (V: wind speed (m/s), f: natural frequency (Hz)). Because the reduced wind speed in motion-induced vortex excitation is calculated as Vr = 1.67×B/D = 1.67×1.18 = 2.0 [1], vibrations around Vr = 2 were considered to be motion-induced vortex excitation. According to the smoke flow visualization result for B/D = 1.18 which was carried out by the authors, no secondary vortices at the trailing edge were formed, although separated vortices from the leading edge were formed at the time of oscillation at the onset wind speed of motion-induced vortex excitation, where aerodynamic vibrations considered to be motion-induced vortex excitation were confirmed. It was suggested that motion-induced vortex excitation might possibly occur in the range of low wind speeds, even in the case of side ratios where secondary vortices at trailing edge were not confirmed. In this study, smoke flow visualizations were performed for ratios of B/D = 0.5–2.0 in order to find out the relation between side ratios of rectangular cross sections and secondary vortices at trailing edge in motion-induced vortex excitation. The smoke flow visualizations around the model during oscillating condition were conducted in a small-sized wind tunnel at Kyushu Institute of Technology. Experimental Reynolds number was Re = VD/v = 1.6×103. For the forced-oscillating amplitude η, the non-dimensional double amplitudes were set as 2η/D = 0.02–0.15. Spring-supported tests were also carried out in order to obtain the response characteristics of the models.


2014 ◽  
Vol 564 ◽  
pp. 216-221
Author(s):  
Nasir S. Hassen ◽  
Nor Azwadi Che Sidik ◽  
Jamaluddin Md Sheriff

Spray losses are the most important problem that is faced in the spray application process as result of spray drift to non target areas by the action of air flow.This paper investigated the spray drift for banding applicationusing even flat-fan nozzle TPEunder wind tunnel conditions.In addition, this paper also examined the effect of different spray fan angles 65°, 80° and 95° on spray drift particularly where there is need to make the nozzle operate at the optimum heights above the ground or plant level.In addition, three cross wind speeds 1, 2 and 3m/swere produced to determine the effect of wind speed on total spray drift.According to the results from this study, the nozzle anglehas a significant effect on the total spray drift. The nozzle angle 65° gave the highest drift reduction compared to the other nozzle angles. The maximum driftfor all nozzles was found at nozzle height of 60 cm. The minimum mean value of the drift was found at wind speed of 1 m/s. This study supports the use of nozzle angles of less than 95° on heights more than 0.5m and on wind speeds more than 1m/s as a means for minimizing spray drift.


Processes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 299
Author(s):  
Jie Fang ◽  
Weiqiu Huang ◽  
Fengyu Huang ◽  
Lipei Fu ◽  
Gao Zhang

Based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and Realizable k-ε turbulence model, we established a numerical simulation method for wind and vapor-concentration fields of various external floating-roof tanks (EFRTs) (single, two, and four) and verified its feasibility using wind-tunnel experiments. Subsequently, we analysed superposition effects of wind speed and concentration fields for different types of EFRTs. The results show that high concentrations of vapor are found near the rim gap of the floating deck and above the floating deck surface. At different ambient wind speeds, interference between tanks is different. When the ambient wind speed is greater than 2 m/s, vapor concentration in leeward area of the rear tank is greater than that between two tanks, which makes it easy to reach explosion limit. It is suggested that more monitoring should be conducted near the bottom area of the rear tank and upper area on the left of the floating deck. Superposition in a downwind direction from the EFRTs becomes more obvious with an increase in the number of EFRTs; vapor superposition occurs behind two leeward tanks after leakage from four large EFRTs. Considering safety, environmental protection, and personnel health, appropriate measures should be taken at these positions for timely monitoring, and control.


1989 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew C. Mason ◽  
David L. Adams

Abstract Bear damage was at least five times higher in thinned blocks than in adjacent unthinned blocks of western larch (Larix occidentalis), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), and Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) on the Kootenai National Forest in northwest Montana. Western larch suffered the greatest damage (63% of all trees damaged and 92% of the trees killed). Damaged larch ranged from 4 to 13 in. dbh; the 4 to 8-in. dbh class accounted for 85% of the damage. Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), western redcedar (Thuja plicata), subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa), western white pine (Pinus monticola), and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) were not damaged. Stand projections showed up to a 17% reduction in board-foot yield from bear damage, after 50 years, compared with hypothetical undamaged stands. West. J. Appl. For. 4(1):10-13, January 1989.


1983 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 873-885 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda E. Heusser

Varved, black clayey silts deposited in the marine waters of Saanich Inlet yield unusually abundant and diverse pollen assemblages derived from the coastal Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga) and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) forests of southwestern British Columbia. The 12 000 year palynological record chronicles the development of vegetation since ice left Saanich Inlet: the succession of pine (Pinus contorta) and alder (Alnus rubra) woodlands by forests characterized by Douglas-fir and oak (Quercus) and later by western hemlock and red cedar (Thuja plicata). Rapid deposition of annual layers of pollen, charcoal, and other terrigenous particles provides detailed evidence of changes in land use during the past few hundred years: settlement, logging, farming, and urbanization. Vegetational and climatic changes inferred from pollen spectra in the marine sediments of Saanich Inlet compare favorably with changes inferred from correlative pollen assemblages previously described from adjacent parts of Vancouver Island and the Fraser River valley.


1991 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Bell ◽  
W. D. Ramey

A total of 377 heterotrophic bacteria were isolated on nonselective medium from the rhizoplanes of five species of conifer. The species were western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), white spruce (Picea glauca), and western red cedar (Thuja plicata). Twenty-eight strains from this population were identified as presumptive agrobacteria. All proved nontumourigenic. Principal-component analysis indicated that the strains, which had clustered into two discrete groups, had intermediate biovar characteristics. Cluster 1 was predominately biovar 3/2 in character, cluster 2 was predominately biovar 2/3. All the presumptive agrobacteria were distributed randomly with respect to the tree species. This study demonstrates that agrobacteria, although atypical, do occur in forest soils and attests to the ubiquity of the genus in soil. Key words: Agrobacterium, biovars, crown gall, conifers.


2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 1599-1611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Hu ◽  
Yongle Li ◽  
Yan Han ◽  
CS Cai ◽  
Guoji Xu

Characteristics of wind fields over the gorge or valley terrains are becoming more and more important to the structural wind engineering. However, the studies on this topic are very limited. To obtain the fundamental characteristics information about the wind fields over a typical gorge terrain, a V-shaped simplified gorge, which was abstracted from some real deep-cutting gorges where long-span bridges usually straddle, was introduced in the present wind tunnel studies. Then, the wind characteristics including the mean wind speed, turbulence intensity, integral length scale, and the wind power spectrum over the simplified gorge were studied in a simulated atmospheric boundary layer. Furthermore, the effects of the oncoming wind field type and oncoming wind direction on these wind characteristics were also investigated. The results show that compared with the oncoming wind, the wind speeds at the gorge center become larger, but the turbulence intensities and the longitudinal integral length scales become smaller. Generally, the wind fields over the gorge terrain can be approximately divided into two layers, that is, the gorge inner layer and the gorge outer layer. The different oncoming wind field types have remarkable effects on the mean wind speed ratios near the ground. When the angle between the oncoming wind and the axis of the gorge is in a certain small range, such as smaller than 10°, the wind fields are very close to those associated with the wind direction of 0°. However, when the angle is in a larger range, such as larger than 20°, the wind fields in the gorge will significantly change. The research conclusions can provide some references for civil engineering practices regarding the characteristics of wind fields over the real gorge terrains.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiaqi Liu ◽  
Reiji Kimura ◽  
Jing Wu

Gravels can protect soil from wind erosion, however, there is little known about the effects of fine-grained gravel on aerodynamic characteristics of the near-surface airflow. Drag coefficient, wind-speed gradient, and turbulent transfer coefficient over different coverages of gravel surfaces were investigated in a compact boundary-layer wind tunnel. The drag coefficient of the fine-grained gravel surface reached the maximum value at 15% coverage and then tended to stabilize at gravel coverage 20% and greater. At a height of 4 cm, near-surface airflow on gravel surfaces can be divided clearly into upper and lower sublayers, defined as the inertial and roughness sublayers, respectively. The coefficient of variation of wind speed over gravel surfaces in the roughness sublayer was 8.6 times that in the inertial sublayer, indicating a greater effect of gravel coverage on wind-speed fluctuations in the lower layer. At a height of 4 cm, wind-speed fluctuations under the observed wind speeds were independent of changes in gravel coverage. In addition, an energy-exchange region, where sand particles can absorb more energy from the surrounding airflow, was found between the roughness and inertial sublayers, enhancing the erosional state of wind-blown sand. This finding can be applied to evaluate the aerodynamic stability of the gravel surface in the Gobi Desert and provide a theoretical basis for elucidation of the vertical distributions of wind-blown sand flux.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0244213
Author(s):  
Xia Pan ◽  
Zhenyi Wang ◽  
Yong Gao ◽  
Zhengcai Zhang ◽  
Zhongjv Meng ◽  
...  

Wind erosion has gained increasing attention as one of the most serious global ecological and environmental threats. Windbreaks are effective at decreasing wind erosion by reducing wind speed to protect crops, livestock, and farmsteads, while providing wildlife habitats. Synthetic shrubs can act as novel windbreaks; however, there is limited knowledge on how their design affects wind speed. This study determined the protective effects (airflow field and sheltering efficiency) based on the design of synthetic shrubs in a wind tunnel. Broom-shaped synthetic shrubs weakened the wind speeds mainly at the middle and upper parts of the shrubs (5–14 cm), while for hemisphere-shaped shrubs this effect was greatest near their bases (below 4 cm) and least in the middle and upper parts (7–14 cm). Spindle-shaped synthetic shrubs provided the best reduction effect in wind range and strength. Moreover, the wind speed reduction ratio decreased with improved wind speeds and ranged from 26.25 cm (between the second and third rows) to 52.5 cm (after the third row). These results provide strong evidence that synthetic shrubs should be considered to decrease wind speed and prevent wind erosion.


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