Special session 1: Emerging approaches & expectations
In the field of environmental hydraulics and fluid mechanics, there has been a massive increase in the use and implementation of numerical models for addressing complex and sophisticated problems over the last decade. This trend is supported by several factors such as progresses in numerical methods, better understanding of multi-physic processes, availability of computational resources and maturity of tools such as AI solutions. The new approaches can be focused on complex physical processes modelling and on real-time operation. The session will bring practical illustration and will collect feedback from practitioners and decision makers from various fields.
Special session 2 - Water Europe: Hydroinformatics for water resources and water related hazards management in Europe.
The water challenges face in Europe represent a major issue for the population and for the economical sector. The market for technologies to adapt to climate change – like protecting from floods and droughts – is rapidly growing, considering that the cost of repairing damages is estimated to be about 6 times higher than the cost of adaptation. Moreover there is significant potential to boost the competitiveness and growth of the European water sector, which includes 9,000 active SMEs and provides 60, 000 direct jobs in water utilities alone. A 1% increase of the rate of growth of the water industry in Europe may mean between 10 000 and 20 000 new jobs, while synergies with other sectors may generate even larger returns (some estimates indicate that the application of ICT in water management and monitoring could produce growth of 30% per year). Within the Erasmus+ framework, the objective of the Water Europe project is to develop a unique set of pedagogic resources dedicated to the implementation of hydroinformatic solutions (numerical modelling tools) for water resources and water related hazards management at the European scale. This set of resources (course material, exercises, data sets, modelling environment integrating numerical models and communication services) is jointly elaborated by the 6 project partners located in Europe. The development of the resources and their innovative use has allowed promoting to young professionals new approaches for water resources and water related hazard management. Most important, the practice gained through these training modules contributes to increase competences and professional skills of young engineers in charge water resources at the international scale. https://watereurope.aquacloud.net
Special session 3 - Advanced models for off-design analysis of hydraulic machines, including cavitation effects.
The use of Computational Fluid Dynamics is nowadays widely used by manufacturers for the design for Hydraulic Machines (pumps, turbines, pump-turbines) with more and more extended operating conditions. Various types of physical phenomena, such as stalls, reverse flows, unsteadiness or cavitation can occur during the machines life and that has to be taken into account as accurately as possible during the design phases. During the session, the opportunity will be given of exchanges regarding the choices of CFD hypothesis, CFD models and uncertainties evaluations of numerical results. Experimental validations at pertinent time and space scales will also be of interest.
Special session 4 - Flash floods management: from models to decisions.
A flash flood is a sudden local flood of great volume and short duration which follows within a few (usually less than six) hours of heavy or excessive rainfall, or due to dam or levee failure, or the sudden release of water impounded by an ice log jam. Heavy rains, most frequently connected with convection clouds, cover small regions and are short-lived (from a few minutes to a few hours), but very intense such as 100 mm in the span of an hour or more. Violent rainfall causing flash floods can be accompanied by strong winds and heavy hail formation. They can also appear locally in a large area covered by rainfall. Public technical agencies are not always able to ascertain which areas are susceptible to flash floods. The information that flash floods can take place almost anywhere, as intense rainfall can occur almost anywhere, is a message that may just sensitize residents to this problem, but it is not, however, a basis for concrete action. This is why it is essential to recognize the factors which may have an effect on the possibility of a flash flood on a given terrain. The objectives of this session are dedicated to share international experience regarding flash flood processes analysis, hydrological and hydraulic modelling, damages assessment and efficiency of mitigation actions. Following presentations, the interactive session will try to establish a list of good practices (from modelling to policy) and recommendations for resilience improvements.
