A numerical study on suspended sediment transport in a partially vegetated channel flow

•Suspended sediments distribution and its variance indicates their preferential gatherings and non-uniformity.•Vertical vorticity component coincides well with particle preferential distribution out of a mixing layer.•Large-scale turbulent structures along the side of a vegetation patch deplete particles away from the mixing layer.•The particle parcels are located along the periphery of the large eddies.•Increase of Dn (Dn < 0.1) accelerates the vertical suspension of particles.