Hydraulic Engineering: Innovations and Applications

This lecture provides an overview of the Hydraulic Constructions Platform at EPFL, detailing its role in hydraulic engineering research, education, and public service. The instructor discusses the laboratory's history, established in 1927, and its global applications in flood protection and hydroelectric power generation. Specific projects, such as the flood protection model for Villerey and the Snowy 2.0 hydroelectric project in Australia, are highlighted. The lecture emphasizes the importance of both physical and numerical modeling in hydraulic engineering, noting the complexity of interactions in hydraulic systems. The instructor also addresses the future of hydraulic modeling, suggesting a hybrid approach that combines physical models with numerical simulations. The lecture concludes with the significance of these models as communication tools for both students and policymakers, illustrating how they can visualize future infrastructure developments.