Hydraulic Modeling and Flood Risks

The UE "hydrological/hydraulic modeling and flood risks" proposes the study of the phenomenon of flood genesis, flood propagation and floods. The module aims to enable students to acquire skills in hydrological and hydraulic modeling of processes at the watershed and river scales:

1) The production function to separate rainfall into runoff and infiltration;

2) The transfer function on the slopes and via the river system, overflow and flooding ;

3) The construction of a project rainfall and synthetic hydrograph;

4) Applications of hydrological and hydraulic flood models.

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

The tutorials focus on practical applications on watersheds and rivers in France and abroad using spatialized hydrological flood models (e.g. ATHYS, MHYDAS) and hydraulic models (HEC-RAS, Diffusing Wave, Kinematic Wave, etc.): rainfall/discharge data analysis, use of hydrological/hydraulic models, parameterization/calibration/validation of models, analysis of the impact of development scenarios (dyke, dam, etc.).): analysis of rainfall/flow data, use of hydrological/hydraulic models, parameterization/calibration/validation of models, analysis of the impact of development scenarios (dike, dam, etc.).

This UE should enable students to: 

• to acquire the tools to model the elementary processes in floods: runoff genesis, flood propagation, overflow, impact of developments, etc.
• build and use a hydrological and/or hydraulic model at the watershed or river scale (e.g. ATHYS, MHYDAS, HEC-RAS models, etc.)
• to predict the behavior of the river under the effect of different hydrological forcing, to analyze the flood propagation determine the floodplain, and to evaluate the sensitivity of the model response to parameters and forcing.
• to implement a flood risk assessment methodology (e.g. Cemagref's "Inondabilité" and "SOCOSE" methods) and use it to eventually mitigate the risk in exposed areas.
• write a synthesis report of a micro-project and present the work done and its synthesis during a group presentation.

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

• Writing of a synthesis report of a micro-project based on the tutorials.
• Oral presentation of the work done during a group defense.

The module includes:

1. The production function to separate 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 rainfall and of the synthetic hydrograph (Cemagref's "Floodability" and "SOCOSE" methods); 4. Sensitivity analysis, criterion function, parameterization, calibration and validation of hydrological and hydraulic flood models.

The course also includes a day in the field: recognition of a river and its potential flood zone, acquisition of in situ data for hydrological/hydraulic modelling purposes, in situ analysis of the flood risk. 

The tutorials focus on practical applications on watersheds and rivers in France and abroad using spatialized hydrological models (e.g. ATHYS, MHYDAS) and hydraulic models (HEC-RAS, Diffusing wave, kinematic wave, etc.): analysis of rainfall/discharge data, use of hydrological/hydraulic models, parameterization/calibration/validation of models, analysis of the impact of development scenarios (dyke, dam, etc.)