THE AERODYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF SPRUCE TWIG ELEMENTS

The drag force and eddy shedding of three-pronged spruce twigs has been measured in a low speed wind tunnel for velocities ranging from 15 to 450 cm/s. The force on the twig at a given flow velocity is affected by the needle density of the twig and the twig orientation and flexibility. Based on the eddy shedding of the twig in 380 cm/s flow, the twig diameter is identified as the important length scale. Using the Strouhal relationship, the effective diameter of the twig is calculated to be approximately equal to the measured needle-tip to needle-tip twig diameter of a single-prong. Based on the twig diameter parallel to the flow, the experimental Re ranged from 200 to 12,000.;The twig drag response is compared and likened to that of a circular cylinder. In low Re flow the twig acts as a porous circular cylinder with the twig response primarily due to skin friction. In high Re flow the twig acts as a roughened solid circular cylinder with the twig response primarily due to form drag. The difference in the effective diameter and the measured diameter is defined to be the surface roughness. Based on the twig roughness, the critical Reynolds number for spruce twigs is calculated to be about 16,000 with a critical flow velocity of 10 m/s.;Using the twig diameter length scale, the drag coefficients for spruce twigs and trees are compared providing a continuum of drag response for Reynolds 200 to 40,000. Based on the circular cylinder model of flow through and around and drag on the spruce twig, whole tree drag measurements can be explained.;The twig drag coefficient values suggest three flow regimes over the range of Re studied. These regimes are defined by the trend of the drag coefficient with increasing Re. The onset of the flow regimes is a function of the twig incidence with the regimes shifting up the Re scale with decreasing twig incidence angle.