River Engineering

Topics of the River Engineering division are flood protection, driftwood and sediment transport as well as river revitalization and river restoration.  

Main goals of our basic research projects are to improve the understanding of flow and transport processes and to optimize and further develope design criteria for different river engineering measures, e.g. for block ramps, driftwood, and sediment retention constructions. This improved understanding is also needed to describe the morphodynamic processes in river reaches to predict their long-term behavior.

Our applied research projects mainly focus on testing and optimization using hydraulic scale models of the design of planned river engineering measures. Of increased importance are hybrid models as a combination of numerical simulations and laboratory experiments.

Since 2024, the River Engineering Group has been equipped with a mobile «Stream Table» designed to analyse and visualize hydromorphological processes in rivers. In addition to its use in research and education, it plays a key role in science communication and public outreach. By being deployed at hydraulic engineering events on-site, the stream table serves as a valuable tool for effectively conveying scientific knowledge and promoting active dialogue with the public.