CFD modelling of trees?

[darynsd]

Does anyone have any information regarding modelling of trees for a wind flow analysis? We use CFD for designing electronic equipment but my engineering VP wants to model our company's campus. He wants help to determine ways we can reduce the wind effects in a courtyard in the center of the buildings. It's an application for CFD I'm not too familiar with. I'm guessing a tree canopy could be modeled as a porous media, but I'm a little stumped as to how to generate a curve. Has anyone seen any studies along these lines? I appreciate any suggestions you may have.

 

[btrueblood]

A quick google search using terms "computed flow air tree" found this hit:

http://www.springerlink.com/content/hxx6206g75g85752/

 

[btrueblood]

Oh, the same search also gave a link to a paper that described a simulation of wind flow over forest edge; this may or may not give you some ideas on simulation of multiple trees and/or how to simplify a model (using porous elements, or injected vorticity?) of a single tree.