Evolving techniques for hydraulic modelling

Modelling of hydraulic systems is a well-established technique in the water industry that has been given fresh impetus in recent years by advances in computerisation.

BHRA has issued a call for papers on the modelling of hydraulic systems, a well-established technique in the water industry that has been given fresh impetus in recent years by advances in computerisation.

Through its ability to evaluate design and operational proposals, hydraulic modelling can reduce the cost of failure and provide evidence of targeted improvement before time and investment is committed.

In doing so it supports the objective of "getting it right first time".

The industry has now begun to use modelling to address and seek solutions to a wider range of issues.

Business and regulatory pressures have forced organisations to assess areas including due diligence, probability and risk of failure and integrate existing hydraulic and whole catchment models to provide new insight into their operations.

The industry will require even more sophisticated techniques in the future to simulate a wider range of scenarios and evaluate the associated risks.

This sophistication will bring new problems.

Organisations will need to be sure of their data collection, calibration and validation if the resulting models are to provide meaningful insight.

They will need to integrate models of different system parts into a cohesive structure.

And they will need to ensure that users are able to access, utilise and understand the results and underlying methodology.

BHR Group's 3rd International Conference on Hydraulic Modelling - 'Creating the Future' - builds on the success of previous events by bringing together leading experts to share and present the latest applications and developments in this important field.

The organisers have issued a call for papers for the next event which takes place in Cranfield, UK, in October 2006.

It is likely that papers accepted for presentation will provide a practical insight into the latest news and developments of hydraulic modelling by presenting information about innovative modelling research and theory, examples of real-life projects and application case studies.

Despite the move towards complex computerised techniques everyday problems are still being solved using a combination of established physical modelling techniques and reliable mathematical models.

Physical models remain a proven method to validate designs and allow the study of fluid flows, simulation of field conditions and evaluation of alternative solutions under controlled conditions.

Stand-alone mathematical models provide a cost-effective solution to improving performance.

These approaches produce practical solutions to current industrial problems and papers which include case studies describing novel hydraulic modelling designs will be especially welcome.

More generally, papers accepted for the conference are likely to cover the following topics and application areas.

Topics.

* Access to tools.

* Calibration and validation.

* Confidence in modelling.

* Computational platforms.

* Engineering design optimisation.

* Integration of models.

* Case studies.

Application Areas.

* Collection and distribution systems.

* Estuaries and coasts.

* Hydraulic structures.

* Pipelines and pumping.

* Rivers.

* Treatment plants.

* Urban drainage.

The conference is designed for everyone involved with the management and operation of hydraulic systems: water, power and process companies; engineers; consultants; contractors; plant suppliers; international development agencies; research and development agencies.

The conference is co-sponsored by British Water.

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