Hydraulic modeling and flood risks

The EU "Hydrological/Hydraulic Modeling and Flood Risks" module offers a study of the phenomenon of flood genesis, flood propagation, and flooding. The module aims to enable students to acquire skills in hydrological and hydraulic modeling of processes at the watershed and river basin scales:

1) The production function aimed at separating rainwater runoff and infiltration;

2) The transfer function on slopes and via the hydrographic network, overflow, and flooding;

3) Construction of a project tree and synthetic hydrograph;

4) Applications of hydrological and hydraulic flood models.

The EU also includes a field day (acquisition of in situ data for hydrological/hydraulic modeling purposes, in situ flood risk analysis).

The tutorials focus on practical applications in watersheds and watercourses in France and abroad using spatialized hydrological flood models (e.g., ATHYS, MHYDAS) and hydraulic models (HEC-RAS, Diffuse Wave, Kinematic Wave, etc.): analysis of rainfall/runoff data, use of hydrological/hydraulic models, parameterization/calibration/validation of models, analysis of the impact of development scenarios (dikes, dams, etc.).

This course unit should enable students to: 

• acquire the tools to model basic flood processes: runoff generation, flood propagation, overflow, impact of developments, etc.
• to build and use a spatialized hydrological and/or hydraulic model at the scale of a watershed or watercourse (e.g., ATHYS, MHYDAS, HEC-RAS models, etc.).
• to predict the behavior of the watercourse under the effect of different hydrological forcings, analyze flood propagation, determine the flood zone, and evaluate the sensitivity of the model's response to parameters and forcings.
• to implement a flood risk assessment methodology (e.g., Cemagref's "Inondabilité" and "SOCOSE" methods) and use it to potentially mitigate the risk in exposed areas.
• to write a summary report of a micro-project and present the work carried out and its summary during a group defense.

• General hydrology
• Free surface hydraulics
• Modeling
• Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, etc.

• Writing a summary report on a micro-project based on the tutorials completed.
• Oral presentation of work carried out during a group defense.

The module includes:

1. The production function aimed at separating rainfall into runoff and infiltration (e.g., Richards, Green and Ampt, Horton models, etc.);
2. The transfer and routing function in the hydrographic network: Saint-Venant equations, diffusing wave, kinematic wave, unit hydrograph, Muskingum, overflow;
3. Construction of a project stream and synthetic hydrograph (Cemagref's "Inundability" and "SOCOSE" methods); 4. Sensitivity analysis, criterion function, parameterization, calibration, and validation of hydrological and hydraulic flood models.

The EU also includes a field day: reconnaissance of a watercourse and its potential flood zone, acquisition of in situ data for hydrological/hydraulic modeling purposes, and in situ flood risk analysis. 

The tutorials focus on practical applications in watersheds and watercourses in France and abroad using spatialized hydrological models (e.g., ATHYS, MHYDAS) and hydraulic models (HEC-RAS, Diffuse Wave, Kinematic Wave, etc.): analysis of rainfall/runoff data, use of hydrological/hydraulic models, parameterization/calibration/validation of models, analysis of the impact of development scenarios (dikes, dams, etc.).