LDD-20306 Land and Water Engineering

Course

Credits 6.00

Teaching methodContact hours
Lectures28
Practical extensively supervised32
Practical intensively supervised16
Course coordinator(s)dr. KM Seeger
Lecturer(s)dr. ir. HP Ritzema
dr. ir. MJPM Riksen
dr. SM Visser
dr. ir. K Metselaar
ir. JJH van den Akker
dr. KM Seeger
Examiner(s)prof. dr. ir. L Stroosnijder
prof. dr. LF Vincent

Language of instruction:

Dutch

Assumed knowledge on:

LDD-11806 Design in Land and Water Management 1; LDD-10306 Erosion and Soil and Water Conservation; IWE-10306 Irrigation and Water Management; HWM-21806 Introduction to Hydraulics

Continuation courses:

IWE-21312 Design in Land and Water Management 2

Contents:

In part 1, the students will do a two day field practicum in which they will make an inventory of land and water management issues on the field sites we will visit. For each field site the students will discuss the situation on what type of technical intervention has been implemented for what purpose, how it works and what are the design criteria. This will give an insight in the problems at hand for managers without sufficient knowledge of soil mechanics, surface runoff interactions, and mechanical possibilities for combating soil and water problems. Students will work on a report in small groups (4 - 5 persons).
Part 2 consists of a series of lectures and self-study assignments on the basics of water flow and the hydraulic design of irrigation and drainage canals and associated structures. Secondly, this part of the course comprises of assignments and field excursions on surface runoff in small catchments (rainfall-runoff analysis, infiltration characteristics of soils, soil roughness), basic soil mechanics (slope stability, shear stress, soil compaction, aggregate stability) and mechanical erosion control measures.
At the end of the course the groups will reflect on the group report of part one by answering the same questions with the knowledge gained in part 2.

Learning outcomes:

At the end of the course, the student will be able, for the 4 topics, to: - Stationary flow structure design:
- explain the difference in flow regimes in natural streams, irrigation and drainage systems;
- calculate the most economic cross-sections and practical bed/depth ratios for irrigation and drainage canals;
- calculate water levels under uniform and gradually varied flow conditions (back water and draw down curve);
- classify the different types of canal structures;
- explain the hydraulic behaviour of specific canal structures (sensitivity / flexibility);
- select canal structures in specific circumstances, in particular socio-technical aspects ;
- interpret sub / super / critical flow and hydraulic jump conditions;
- explain the sediment (bed and suspended) transport criterion;
- apply theoretical knowledge and ability to design intake, regulation and outlet structures.
- Soil Mechanics. The student should be able to:
- describe and interpret the physical soil characteristics and shortcomings in relation to land use purpose;
- to estimate stresses in a soil mass;
- understand the nature of shear resistance of a soil
- to design a gravity retaining wall;
- to evaluate the stability of a slope.
- Non-stationary flow structure design The student should be able to:
- determine the infiltration rate of different soil types;
- determine the soil roughness (surface storage);
- determine the soil cover percentage.
- Mechanical erosion control measures - The student should be able to:
- describe and explain the principles of the main mechanical methods of erosion control;
- select and apply the most appropriate mechanical method in a conservation plan.

Activities:

- lectures;
- participation in field work;
- carry out exercises and assignments;
- reporting exercises and assignments.

Examination:

Individual written exam (70%);
Quality of individual assignments and group products (30%).

Literature:

Understanding Hydraulics by L. Hamill ( 2001, 2nd ed.), MacMillan Press LTD. Hydrometry by W. Boiten and laboratory practical guide Hydraulics/Hydrometry.
Lecture notes.
FAO Irrigation Water Management Training manual No. 7 (Canals), 8 (Structures for water control and distribution) & 9 (Drainage).
Reader: Soil mechanics. Principles of geotechnical engineering en Principles of foundation engineering, both by Braja M. Das.
Parts of book: An introduction to the Environmental Physics of Soil, Water and Watersheds, by Calvin Rose.

ProgrammePhaseSpecializationPeriod
Compulsory for: BILInternational Land and Water ManagementBSc3WD
MinorPeriod
Compulsory for: WUILWBSc Minor International Land and Water Management3WD