Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
analysis of alternatives, saving time and helping to find the most feasible
design. The time saved in the analysis of different canal alignments could
be used for an in-depth analysis of the final selected alternative.
The newly developed tool has three modules, the first one looks for
the canal alignment within the area with the least cost by using all the
information produced by GIS programs (maps, tables, etc.). The second
module performs the hydraulic design, including the introduction of the
energy and sediment transport concepts, which avoids sedimentation and
erosion in the canal network. Another feature of the tool is the possibility to
export the design results of the canal design to DUFLOW (unsteady flow
program) and SETRIC (sediment transport program) for further analysis
of the operation and maintenance. The third module connects the results
of the previous two modules to calculate the volumes of earthwork (mass
diagram). As mentioned before, these volumes have a large impact on the
costs and therefore it is important to optimise the design at this stage.
Tests with the new tool and comparison of the model results with the
results obtained from other studies have clearly shown the applicability
of GIS technology and CAD principles in engineering design. Moreover,
the files with the results of the model can be easily exported to the models
DUFLOW and SETRIC; this transfer of the data results in a more powerful
application of the design tool. In this way the tool gives the chance to test
the influence of various operation scenarios on the proposed hydraulic
design. SETRIC can investigate whether the design shows the expected
behaviour of the sediment in the canal network; whether all the sediment
that enters the system will be transported through the whole canal system.
Moreover, it will be possible to investigate and to optimise the operation
and maintenance by the simulation of different predefined management
scenarios.
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