NOC is a partner in HYDRALAB+, this is a pan European collaboration to develop and improve research in experimental modelling to address the issues of climate change adaptation. There are 33 partners and associated partners from Europe in the HYDRALAB+ network.

The project brings together European researchers, industry and stakeholders to improve experimental research, related numeric modelling and field studies aimed at adapting to climate change. The consortium share and exchange information regarding the latest developments in experimental hydraulics both within the network and with external stakeholders. Looking to the future, we are conducting foresight studies and provide training to the next generation of researchers.

Three main components of HYDRALAB+ are:

  1. Joint Research Activities
    JRA1 RECIPE – REpresenting Climate Change In Physical Experiments.
    JRA2 COMPLEX – Cross disciplinary Observations of Morphodynamics and Protective structures, Linked to ecology and EXtreme events.
    JRA3 FREE Data – Facilitating the Re-use and Exchange of Experimental Data.
  2. Transnational Access
    HYDRALAB+ supports transnational access to ten large and unique experimental facilities designed for flow, wave, and ice research. This access programme enables Europe-wide cooperation among international research groups to carry out hydraulic research in facilities, to which they normally do not have access. The best proposals are selected from an open competition.
  3. Networking Activities
    This is a repository of training material available to view and download for users of experimental facilities across the globe. The aim of this repository is to share knowledge and good practice in the use of equipment and facilities using podcasts, webinars and video presentations. These virtual training packages are aimed at next generation researchers and experienced researchers seeking to learn new skills and update their expertise.
Aim

NOC’s main contribution to HYDRALAB+ is through the JRA COMPLEX. The main aim of COMPLEX is to expand the capabilities of existing environmental hydraulic facilities of excellence so that they can provide quantified predictions, incorporating the complex, often non-linear, interactions between sediment, water, biota and structures. As part of COMPLEX a study between October 2017 and January 2018 provided the opportunity for a collaborative large scale research experiments between NOC Liverpool, CNRS at the University of Grenoble, and LIM at UPC Barcelona as a contribution to HYDRALAB+.

NOC staff Professor Peter Thorne and Dr Richard Cooke travelled to UPC to join their counter-parts Dr David Hurther from CNRS and Dr Iván Caceres from UPC. The aim of the collaboration is to advance understanding of sediment transport, over rippled beds formed in mixed sediments, under controlled conditions in the wave flume facility at UPC (https://ciemlab.upc.edu/ca). A variety of developmental acoustic instrumentation including the NOC BASSI (Bedform And Suspended Sediment Imager) and the 3D-ARP (Three Dimensional Acoustic Ripple Profiler) are being assessed and used in this study. The outcome is aimed at improving sediment transport flux formulations in complex mixed-sediments to help better predict the impact of climate change in coastal, riverine and estuarine environments.

HYDRALAB+