The aim of the course is to provide the fundamental elements for the design and management of large and small dams and hydroelectric power plants. This course provides an overview of engineering design of dams and hydroelectric plants as well as a hydraulic modelling for the performance optimization parameters, operation and safety. From the point of view of safety, the effects of reservoirs on hydraulic risk mitigation and the risk associated with the collapse of dams will also be analysed.

After participating in this course, you will be able to: a) know the different steps to do before designing a hydroelectric central, b) understand basic hydrological and hydraulic analysis to conduct feasibility studies, c) make power, energy and financial calculation, d) learn about reservoir management, e) learn how to design the main components of a hydro power plant, f) understand how hydraulic turbines work, g) understand the operation of innovative hydroelectric plants such as tidal or sea wave ones

Basic knowledge of Hydraulics and Hydrology

The course is organized in the following modules: - Planning and design of dams for large multiple-purpose projects: Structure, design, legislation - Dam hydraulics: spillways, stilling basins, energy dissipators - Dam safety: monitoring, hydraulic safety, emergency plans - Hydropower plants: reservoir-based, run-on-river. - Turbines: operating principles and design analysis - Flood control planning: legislation, passive and active measures, - Flood control reservoirs Numerical models for Dam Break Studies - Energy production from sea waves

The course is organized in lectures (about 50 hours) and practical classes dedicated to the development of a project (about 30 hours). During lectures the concepts and procedures will be explained with blackboard writing and/or with the support of slides that will be shared in the course material. During project classes, the students will work in small groups and will be guided in developing the modules of the project and applications of the basic hydraulic principles as illustrated during lectures. During the course, students will have to develop a single project divided into different modules that will start from the analysis of the resource, passing from the sizing of the reservoir, the designing of the hydraulic turbines and civil works and of the simulation of a possible collapse of the dam. Numerical software (HEC-RAS) and GIS tools will be used to develop the project.

In addition to the material and concepts presented in the lectures, the student can refer to the following texts: Hydraulic Engineering of Dams, Willi H. Hager, Anton J. Schleiss, Robert M. Boes, Michael Pfister, CRC press

Modalità di esame: Prova orale obbligatoria; Elaborato scritto prodotto in gruppo;

Exam: Compulsory oral exam; Group essay;

... The exam is based on an oral test to verify the understanding of the concepts presented during lectures. At the exam, the students must present the final report of the project carried out during the course period. It will also be discussed with the students to verify their ability to perform design calculations and the final results of the project. The final mark is formed in part by the evaluation of reports (30%), and in part by the oral test (70%).

Gli studenti e le studentesse con disabilità o con Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento (DSA), oltre alla segnalazione tramite procedura informatizzata, sono invitati a comunicare anche direttamente al/la docente titolare dell'insegnamento, con un preavviso non inferiore ad una settimana dall'avvio della sessione d'esame, gli strumenti compensativi concordati con l'Unità Special Needs, al fine di permettere al/la docente la declinazione più idonea in riferimento alla specifica tipologia di esame.