HYDRAULICS
We carry out research in theoretical and applied Fluid Mechanics to find sustainable engineering solutions to environmental, industrial, energy and health-related problems. Our approach is strongly multidisciplinary as we collaborate with ecologists, biologists, chemists, economists and architects. Research methods include laboratory and field experiments as well as theory and numerical modelling.
In recognition of our expertise, we periodically attract funding at national and European level (see e.g. BIOENPRO4TO, ECOGUS, RESBA), publish scientific papers in high ranking journals and we are involved as inventors in different patents.
Our research covers the following key themes:
(in brackets you find the names of academics working on each theme)
River Mechanics and Bio-Morphodynamics (Camporeale, Ridolfi, Vesipa): sediment transport and river flow modelling; stability analysis of river bedforms; short- and long-term evolution of river morphology; bio-morphodynamics of vegetated rivers.
Eco-hydraulics (Manes, Vezza): environmental flows, collective and individual fish behaviour induced by hydrodynamic forcing, swimming efficiency.
Environmental hydraulics (Boano, Ridolfi, Vesipa): prediction of contaminant transport and reaction at river-groundwater interfaces; constructed wetlands and innovative techniques for wastewater treatment; river ecology
Water Distribution Networks (Boano, Ridolfi, Vesipa): mathematical and complex network-based modelling, leakage detection, energy optimization, segmentation, cavitation-based water disinfection, modelling of water quality.
Groundwater (Butera): monitoring data analysis, study of flow and transport processes through heterogeneous formations, identification of contaminant source location and release history through geostatistical and stochastic techniques.
Pico-micro hydropower generation (Butera): evaluation of hydropower potential of irrigation channels; hydraulic wheels; hydropower generation in urban contexts.
Ecosystem services for resilient and sustainable cities (Boano): ecohydrological approaches for Green Urban Spaces.
Dialogue between Hydraulics, History and Architecture: from Leonardo da Vinci experiments to restoration of historical gardens
Turbulent flows (Manes, Ridolfi): theoretical and experimental analysis of free-shear (wakes and jets) and wall turbulence, local scour at bridge piers, turbulence in cavitating flows, wave-turbulence interaction.
Biological Fluid Mechanics (Ridolfi, Camporeale, Manes): Fluid mechanics of the cardiovascular system, cerebrospinal fluid circulation, flows in stented ureters.
Ventilation from building to city scale (Ridolfi, Vesipa, Manes): Optimal room ventilation; ventilation in multiply-connected space; air circulation in street canyons; air dynamics in urban environments; pollutant dispersion.
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