Study information

Environmental and Computational Hydraulics - 2019 entry

MODULE TITLEEnvironmental and Computational Hydraulics CREDIT VALUE15
MODULE CODEECMM144 MODULE CONVENERUnknown
DURATION: TERM 1 2 3
DURATION: WEEKS 6 weeks 0 0
Number of Students Taking Module (anticipated) 0
DESCRIPTION - summary of the module content

There are considerable challenges in modelling the hydrodynamic, pollution and sediment transport processes in rivers, estuaries and coastal waters, primarily in terms of addressing issues relating to flood risk, coastal erosion, water quality and marine renewable energy. This course will focus on developing an understanding of the governing equations for these processes and outline numerical methods for solving these equations. You will be introduced to computational models and will apply these to solve practical problems for proposed engineering projects (such as the Severn Barrage) and to study the effect of natural and anthropogenic change, such as climate change, population growth and increasing urbanisation on the hydro-environment.

AIMS - intentions of the module

This module aims at introducing you to the hydrodynamics and solute transport processes in free surface flows, including rivers, estuaries and coastal waters, and to a range of numerical solution procedures of these processes. It also offers practical insight into solving these equations and processes for a range of river, estuarine and coastal basin projects.

The course will build on a traditional undergraduate course in civil engineering or similar and prior courses in hydraulics or fluid mechanics would be an advantage.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILOs) (see assessment section below for how ILOs will be assessed)

This is a constituent module of one or more degree programmes which are accredited by a professional engineering institution under licence from the Engineering Council. The learning outcomes for this module have been mapped to the output standards required for an accredited programme, as listed in the current version of the Engineering Council’s ‘Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes’ document (AHEP-V3).

 

This module contributes to learning outcomes: SM1fl, SM2fl, SM3fl, EA1fl, EA2fl, EA3fl, D1fl, D3fl, ET2fl, ET4fl, ET5fl, EP4fl, G1fl, G2fl, G3fl, G4fl

 

A full list of the referenced outcomes is provided online: http://intranet.exeter.ac.uk/emps/subjects/engineering/accreditation/

 

The AHEP document can be viewed in full on the Engineering Council’s website, at http://www.engc.org.uk/

 

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge: SM1fl, SM3fl, EA1fl and EA2fl

1. Understand the governing equations of motion and solute transport, and related processes, for 1D/2D/3D flow fields  
2. Appreciate how these equations can be used to solve practical hydro-environmental engineering and impact assessment studies in river, estuarine and coastal basins
3. Understand and carry out the necessary calculations for specification of design waves, wave transformation and nearshorewave processes
4. Understand important numerical techniques for solving partial differential equations
5. Know how to solve the temporal and spatial derivatives of first and second order

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge: SM2fl, SM3fl, EA1fl, EA3fl, D1fl, D3fl, ET2fl, ET4fl, ET5fl and EP4fl

5. Identify the key processes relevant to solving a hydro-environmental engineering problem
6. Critically assess the most appropriate solution for a particular hydro-environmental problem
7. Evidence some practical experience of solving hydro-environmental impact assessment studies
8. Ability to solve governing equations of fluid flow and transport processes

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge: G1fl, G2fl, G3fl and G4fl

9 Show enhanced independent learning
10. Reveal improved analytical and numerical skills in computational hydro-environmental studies

 

 

SYLLABUS PLAN - summary of the structure and academic content of the module

 

Review of coastal (tidal), estuarine and river fluid mechanics, including: Navier-Stokes and St Venant equations, bed and surface roughness characteristics, introduction to turbulence phenomena and rotational effects (Week 1 of the course).

Review of solute transport processes and water quality modelling, including: diffusion and dispersion phenomena, water quality considerations and decay (Week 2)

Review of wave specifications, including: characteristics of wind waves and swell, concept of a random sea, overview of design processes, time and frequency domain parameters, Rayleigh distribution, energy and directional spectra (Week 3)

Review of nearshore wave processes, including: refraction, shoaling and diffraction of monochromatic waves and directional spectra, generalised equations for refraction and diffraction, refraction-diffraction model, and waves breaking (Week 4) 


Introduction to and derivation of numerical techniques to solve partial differential equations (Weeks 5 & 6)

LEARNING AND TEACHING
LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS (given in hours of study time)
Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities 36 Guided Independent Study 114 Placement / Study Abroad 0
DETAILS OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS
Category Hours of study time Description
Scheduled learning activities 24 Lectures
Scheduled learning activities 12 Tutorials
Guided independent studies 114 Assessment preparation, private study

 

ASSESSMENT
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT - for feedback and development purposes; does not count towards module grade
Form of Assessment Size of Assessment (e.g. duration/length) ILOs Assessed Feedback Method
Questions posed and answered in the class (for two tests and 1 take home test or otherwise) N/A All Verbal
       
       
       
       

 

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT (% of credit)
Coursework 100 Written Exams 0 Practical Exams 0
DETAILS OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Form of Assessment % of Credit Size of Assessment (e.g. duration/length) ILOs Assessed Feedback Method
Written test in the class 33 1 hour, in week 3 of the course All Written
Written test in the class 33 1 hour, in week 5 of the course All Written
Take home test 34 You will be given a take-home exam in week 6 of the course (Term 1, Week 12) and will have until Term 2, Week 1 to complete and return it. All Written
         
         

 

DETAILS OF RE-ASSESSMENT (where required by referral or deferral)
Original Form of Assessment Form of Re-assessment ILOs Re-assessed Time Scale for Re-assessment
In class tests None N/A N/A
Take home test Take home test All Aug/Sept
       

 

RE-ASSESSMENT NOTES

If you fail assessment (as defined above) or are deferred you will be reassessed via another 'take home test' which will be set in Aug/Sep and you will have 1 week to complete and return it. Your final mark for the module will be 100% based on this test.

RESOURCES
INDICATIVE LEARNING RESOURCES - The following list is offered as an indication of the type & level of
information that you are expected to consult. Further guidance will be provided by the Module Convener

Basic reading:

 

ELE: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

 

Web based and Electronic Resources:

 

Other Resources:

 

Reading list for this module:

Type Author Title Edition Publisher Year ISBN
Set Versteeg H K and Malalasekera V An Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics: The finite volume method 2nd Pearson/Prentice Hall 2007 978-0131274983
Set Ippen AT Estuary and Coastline Hydrodynamics IOWA Institute of Hydraulic Research 1982
Set Kiely G Environmental Engineering McGraw Hill 0-07-709127-2
Set Reeve DE, Chadwick AJ and Fleming C Coastal Engineering: Processes, Theory and Design Practice E & FN Spon 2004
Set Dean RG and Dalrymple RA Water Wave Mechanics for Engineers and Scientists World Scientific 2004 9810204205
Set Ferziger, Joel H and Peric, Milovan Computational Methods for Fluid Dynamics 3rd Springer-Verlag Berlin 2002 978-3540420743
CREDIT VALUE 15 ECTS VALUE 7.5
PRE-REQUISITE MODULES None
CO-REQUISITE MODULES None
NQF LEVEL (FHEQ) 7 AVAILABLE AS DISTANCE LEARNING No
ORIGIN DATE Thursday 6th July 2017 LAST REVISION DATE Wednesday 24th October 2018
KEY WORDS SEARCH Hydraulics, environmental, computational, water, coastal, estuaries, rivers, hydrodynamics

Please note that all modules are subject to change, please get in touch if you have any questions about this module.