Flood protection is a very sustainable task, which is often accompanied by lengthy implementation processes for new measures dues to the rapid forgetting of past events and damage. The Department of Hydraulic Engineering offers project-related scientific investigations in all three categories of modern flood protection:
- In the area of precautionary measures, it is important to demonstrate the hydraulic effects that a change in the use of floodplains near waters can have. In particular, measures to relocate dikes or reconnect old floodplain areas currently offer great potential for nature-compatible flood protection. The focus is on changes in flood levels for upstream, downstream and riparians, for the quantification of which the use of hydrodynamic-numerical flow models as well as physical models is appropriate. A close integration with eco-hydraulic aspects is useful.
- The technical flood protection provides either a controlled water retention (e.g. retention basin or polder system) or a secured water drainage (e.g. dikes or mobile flood protection). In both cases,extensive studies are required on the stability, effectiveness, design and, if necessary, control of the protection systems. The Department offers extensive support by means of scientific accompanying investigations.
- In operational flood protection, it is important to determine events and their damage potential by means of simulation and to use the findings, for example, for the planning of adapted protection measures or the preparation of disaster and emergency plans. The Department can support this with its modeling capabilities, whereby a close interlocking with hydrological model considerations is appropriate.
