Workshop on Nonlinear Weir Design

Workshop on Nonlinear Weir Design: theory and practice

Prior to the 7th Symposium on Hydraulic Structures, a full-day workshop on the design and construction of nonlinear weirs will be offered on May, 15th.

Inadequate conveyance capacity, significant hydrologic loadings on embankments and structures, and operation and maintenance are common challenges and safety issues that often instigate the need for risk-reduction measures and/or rehabilitation.  Labyrinth and piano key weirs are a particularly efficient approach to reduce these concerns.  These weirs provide a crest length greater than the width of the channel and are commonly used in a variety of applications, including dam rehabilitation and new dam projects.  In some cases, these structures may be complimentary to or even an alternative to gated spillways, which require operation and maintenance and can cause downstream flooding if misoperation or failure occur.  Because of their hydraulic performance and site-adaptive geometries, these types of weirs are of increasing interest to those involved in water infrastructure, including practitioners, researchers, regulators, and owners.  However, these types of weirs have complex geometries and hydraulic behaviors and can pose a challenge when developing an efficient design.

The workshop - organized by experts from research and practice - will cover all relevant stages of a labyrinth and a piano key weir project, from the first theoretical design to detailed studies and practical considerations related to the construction. The workshop will be divided in two parts, each related to a specific type of weir. During both parts, several real examples in France and the USA will illustrate the technical presentations and time will be devoted to Q/A and discussion. An application exercise will be proposed to the workshop participants for both types of weirs. Comprehensive workshop material will be provided to all attendees.

 

Instructor information:

Prof. Dr. Blake P. Tullis Professor (full) at UWRL, Utah State University Water Division Head click here for short-CV
Dr. Sébastien Erpicum Senior Scientist at HECE, University of Liège Head of the Laboratory of Engineering Hydraulics click here for short-CV
Frédéric Laugier Head of the Civil Engineering Hydraulic Structures Branch, Electricité de France click here for short-CV
Dr. Brian M. Crookston Senior Engineer for Hydraulic Structure Design, Schnabel Engineering click here for short-CV