Mission of the Basic Research Division

At NCCHE, numerical-empirical models are developed for simulating water flows, soil erosion, sediment transport, water quality, topographic changes of the flow channels, and their impacts on hydraulic structures, geomorphology, environment and ecology.

These developed models have been verified, validated using analytical methods, physical model data and field data, respectively, to confirm the models’ consistency and correctness in their mathematics and numerical procedure, capability to reflect physical mechanisms, and applicability to produce realistic solutions in the complex, real world field conditions.

Free surface flow modeling is one of the most important tasks, the simulations of sediment transport, pollutant transport and water quality etc. depend on the simulated flow fields. One, two and three-dimensional flow models have been developed by the scientists of the NCCHE for simulating turbulent free surface flows, additional capabilities are added to these models as needed in the research and application of more complex processes and problems.

Sediment has been identified as the most important pollutant that degrades the environment by changing landscape, causing land loss and deteriorating water quality. Sediment transport process research and modeling are therefore important not only to the channel and landscape change by also to the environment and water resource protection. Several versions of sediment transport models for uniform and non-uniform sediment being transported under steady, unsteady and quasi-steady conditions have been developed for simulating channel topographic, geometric and bed material gradation changes.

Natural environment and ecology are closely related to water quality. The aquatic habitat in the natural waters has been strongly affected by human activities which cause excessive nutrients, sediments, chemical and thermal pollutants discharged into natural streams, river, lake and oceans. Water quality models of one, two and three-dimensional have been developed at the NCCHE. Analytical methods, experiment data and field data were used to verify and validate these models. These water quality models are coupled with the associated flow and sediment transport models and additional processes are being added for chemical and bio-chemical processes.

Each of the numerical models will be equipped with Graphic User Interface. Because the natural systems have highly irregular domains, complex boundary conditions, physical and chemical parameters, a GUI can not only generate the grid system, setup boundary conditions and input parameters, but also enable us to visualize and analyze the computed flow field and the distribution of transport variables. Mesh generators are used discretize the computational domain efficiently. GUIs for the one, two and three-dimensional models have been developed with different degrees of maturity, and they are being improved continuously.

Currently, the Division for Basic Research has four research groups:

Flow Modeling GL: Dr. Y. Jia
Sediment Transport Modeling GL: Dr. W.M. Wu
Water Quality Modeling GL: Dr. Y. Jia
Development of graphical user interface and mesh generator GL: D. Vieira

Division Head Yafei Jia

NCCHE's missions are:

(1) to advance the understanding of fundamental characteristics of water flow, soil erosion, sediment transport phenomena, water quality and their effect on water resources, soil conservation, flood control, waterways safety, etc. and their impact on environment/ecology;

(2) to develop and refine the numerical-empirical modeling methodologies for conducting hydroscience and engineering research cost-effectively in the areas mentioned above;

(3) to educate qualified future researchers and engineers through graduate degree programs in Engineering Science with emphases in Computational Hydroscience and Engineering as well as to equip the professionals in the field with the know-how for applying the newly developed research and engineering tools by way of short courses and workshops;

(4) to assist government agencies and private institutions in carrying out research and engineering projects in the areas related to hydroscience and engineering; and;

(5) to promote exchange of knowledge and experience through cooperative research agreements with leading research organizations in both the U.S. and other nations worldwide, as well as through technology transfer by publications, exchange visits, and organizing conferences and symposia, and other associated activities.