HWM-31806 Technical Concepts in Water Engineering

Course

Credits 6.00

Teaching methodContact hours
Lectures24
Practical intensively supervised80
Course coordinator(s)drs. PJJF Torfs
Lecturer(s)drs. PJJF Torfs
ing. G Bier
Examiner(s)drs. PJJF Torfs
ing. G Bier

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

HWM-20806 Hydrogeology; MAT-30806 Applied Partial Differential Equations, SEG-30806 Hydrological Modeling: Theory and Practice;

Contents:

Hydrological science and education is typically organized by disciplines: hydrology, hydraulics, groundwater etc.
This course investigates the technical integration of these disciplines and techniques, within the framework of a real life water management setting.
The following topics will be covered in the theoretical part of the course: time and spatial scales, how to conceptualize, interface between the different disciplines, quantity-quality relationships, propagation of errors.
In the practical part, where students will actively model and couple models, these topics will be investigated in a real life management context.

Learning outcomes:

After the course, students will be able:
- to analyze water management issues in terms of which hydrological sub-models are needed at which time and spatial scale to practically contribute to the solution of the problem;
- to understand the general simplifying concepts involved in the coupling of hydrological models;
- to understand the specific concepts involved in the coupling of flow between open water, saturated groundwater and unsaturated zone;
- to understand and to apply conceptualizations as e.g. semi-stationary modeling as a technique to solve these problems;
- to implement the above in computer models;
- to use these coupled computer models to carry out scenario studies, to critically analyse the results and to discuss their use for water management problems.

Activities:

In the theoretical part, students should study the course material. In the practical part, they will have to use computer programs to solve a given management problem.

Examination:

Written exam.

Literature:

Course material. Available at the secretariat of Centre for Water and Climate (Atlas)

ProgrammePhaseSpecializationPeriod
Compulsory for: MHWHydrology and Water QualityMScA: Soil and Ecosystem Hydrology6WD
Restricted Optional for: MHWHydrology and Water QualityMScB: Hydrology and Quantitative Water Management6WD
MCLClimate StudiesMSc6WD