Idrodinamica dei Sistemi Naturali e Antropizzati

The course aims to provide students with the fundamental knowledge required to address engineering problems related to the sustainable management of water resources, hydraulic risk mitigation, and the generation of electricity from renewable energy sources. In particular, the course will address the design and verification of reservoirs, pressurised pipelines, and natural and artificial open channels.

The course also introduces the fundamentals of ecohydraulics and fluid–vegetation interactions, with particular reference to nature-based solutions for water resources management and the mitigation of hydraulic and hydrogeological risks.

The knowledge acquired will be applicable to the design and management of materials and systems aimed at improving quality of life, in accordance with Goals 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.

Knowledge and understanding

Students will acquire knowledge of fluid properties and an understanding of the principles of hydrostatics, the fundamental equations governing the dynamics of ideal fluids, and the laws governing the motion of real fluids, together with their respective fields of applicability. They will also understand the operation of hydraulic machinery and the physics of open-channel flows. In addition, students will acquire basic knowledge of flow–vegetation interactions and of the hydraulic principles underlying nature-based solutions.

Applying knowledge and understanding

Through practical exercises, students will learn how to determine pressure distributions and hydrostatic forces and how to apply the fundamental equations governing the dynamics of ideal and real fluids. They will also be able to address simple design and verification problems involving systems with pumps and turbines. For open-channel flows, students will be able to determine critical depth and normal depth, and to plot and interpret steady-flow water-surface profiles. They will also be able to address simple flow problems in vegetated systems, assessing the effects of vegetation on flow resistance and water levels, and to interpret the hydraulic functioning of nature-based solutions.

Making judgements

Students will be able to identify the appropriate computational schemes and equations for the hydraulic problem under consideration and to justify the assumptions adopted. They will critically assess the results obtained, verifying the consistency of pressures, discharges and hydraulic heads with the physical and operating conditions of the hydraulic system under consideration. They will be able to distinguish between conditions in which the ideal-fluid assumption is appropriate and those in which head losses must be taken into account. In the analysis of open-channel flows, students will be able to identify the flow regime and determine the boundary conditions required to plot water-surface profiles. In vegetated systems, they will be able to assess the adequacy of the representation of flow resistance and discuss the potential and limitations of nature-based solutions in relation to the hydraulic conditions considered.

Communication skills

Students will be able to describe hydraulic phenomena and explain calculation procedures using appropriate technical language. The graphical and written responses required in the written examinations will enable students to develop and demonstrate their ability to clearly represent hydraulic systems and water-surface profiles, explicitly state the assumptions adopted and the calculation steps, and interpret the results obtained. Any oral discussion will also allow students to demonstrate their ability to explain theoretical concepts and justify the proposed solutions. Students will be able to describe the effects of vegetation on flows and explain the mechanisms through which nature-based solutions contribute to water resources management and hydraulic risk reduction.

Learning skills

Students will develop an independent approach to learning, based on the critical use of textbooks and teaching materials, the integration of theory and applications, and the review of errors. These skills will provide the basis for further study and for the continuing development of professional competences. Students will also be able to use these tools to further explore the applications of ecohydraulics to natural and human-modified systems.

The course includes:

• lectures, carried out in participatory mode, to obtain student involvement and content maturation;
• guided exercises, aimed at the numerical application of the concepts and methods of analysis and modelling most commonly used in hydraulics;
• tests are in progress, aimed at verifying during the course the understanding of the content and maturation of skills;
• technical visits to construction sites, utility operators, and other organisations active in the field of hydraulic engineering works, subject to organisational availability.

Students who have obtained recognition of the status of student worker, student athlete, student in difficulty and student with disabilities, pursuant to art. 30 of the University Teaching Regulations and the related regulation (D.R. n. 1598 of 2/5/2018), will be able to take exams in the extraordinary sessions reserved for students outside the course limits and will benefit from specific teaching support activities.

• Introduction to the course

• Fluids and their properties

• Fluid statics

• Fluid kinematics

• Fundamental equations of hydraulics

• Bernoulli's theorem

• Equations of motion for real fluids

• Pressure flows

• Practical problems related to long pipelines

• Open-surface flows

• Fundamentals of ecohydraulics and fluid-vegetation interaction

• Nature-based solutions for water resource management and flood risk reduction

1. M. Mossa, A.F. Petrillo: “Idraulica”, CEA Milano, 2024.
2. D. Citrini, D. Noseda: “Idraulica”, CEA-Milano, 1987 .
3. G. Alfonsi, E. Orsi: “Problemi di Idraulica e Meccanica dei Fluidi”, CEA Milano, 1984
4. Pezzinga, G. (2008) Esercizi di meccanica dei fluidi, Aracne Editrice, Roma

Assessment methods

Learning outcomes are assessed through three mid-term tests or, alternatively, a single final written examination. Each test normally lasts two hours. Students who successfully complete the mid-term tests may choose to accept and register the resulting grade. Students may also choose to take an oral examination.

The assessments are designed to verify students’ understanding of the underlying principles and their ability to apply them to the proposed problems. The clarity of graphical representations and, where applicable, oral presentation contributes to the assessment of communication skills. The ability to establish connections among different topics and to apply the methods learned to problems involving data different from those used in class provides evidence of students’ capacity for independent learning.

Registration for an examination session must be completed through the University online portal. Examination sessions are scheduled in accordance with the academic calendar and the provisions of the University Teaching Regulations, including examination sessions reserved for eligible categories of students.

During the periods allowed by the academic calendar, in addition to the regular weekly office hours, students may contact the lecturer by e-mail to arrange additional meetings for clarification.

Assessment may also be conducted online if circumstances require.

Mid-term tests

The three tests are scheduled in line with the progression of the course and normally take place during class hours or teaching breaks. Their indicative structure is as follows:

• First test: hydrostatics, pressure distribution, and hydrostatic forces on plane and curved surfaces.

• Second test: flow of ideal and real fluids, applications of Bernoulli’s theorem, evaluation of dynamic forces, and analysis of hydraulic systems involving pumps and turbines.

• Third test: open-channel flows, uniform flow, critical flow conditions, and the determination of steady-flow water-surface profiles; long-pipeline problems; flow in vegetated systems, fluid–vegetation interactions, and the principles of nature-based solutions.

All questions are open-ended. Each test is graded on a 30-point scale. Students may sit all three tests regardless of the outcome of the previous ones. The overall grade is the average of the three marks; an average of 18/30 or above constitutes a pass.

The grades obtained in the mid-term tests remain valid throughout the relevant academic year.

Students who obtain a mark above 15/30 in the written assessment may choose to take an oral examination, even if they have already achieved a passing grade. The oral examination is held during the official examination sessions (see Final written examination). Students must in any case register for the relevant examination session in order for the final grade to be officially recorded.

Final written examination

As an alternative to the mid-term tests, students may sit a single two-hour written examination. The examination assesses the same knowledge and skills and covers all the topics listed above for the mid-term tests.

The result is communicated within one week. A mark of 18/30 or above constitutes a pass.

Students who obtain a mark above 15/30 in the written examination may choose to take an oral examination, even if they have already achieved a passing grade. The oral examination takes place within one week of the written examination and provides an opportunity to explore the course topics in greater depth, including applications to pressurised flows, systems involving hydraulic machinery, open-channel flows, vegetated systems, and nature-based solutions. It assesses students’ command of the subject matter, their ability to establish connections among topics, their reasoning skills, and their appropriate use of technical terminology. In this case, the final grade also takes the outcome of the oral examination into account.

Assessment criteria for written examinations

Each written test consists of 10 questions requiring numerical, graphical and, for conceptual aspects, written responses. Each answer is awarded up to 3 points: 3 points for a correct solution; 2 points for a solution containing minor calculation errors; 1 point for a solution containing moderately significant theoretical errors; and 0 points for an incorrect answer. The total score is expressed on a 30-point scale.

Criteria for the final grade

The following ranges describe the level of achievement associated with each grade. For written examinations, the scoring system described above applies. Where an oral examination is taken, clarity of presentation, independent reasoning, and the ability to establish connections among topics are also taken into account.

• Hydrostatic pressure distribution.
• Hydrostatic forces on submerged plane and curved surfaces.
• Applications of the Bernoulli equation.
• Dynamic forces exerted by fluid flows.
• Hydraulic grade line and energy line sketches.
• Analysis, design and operation of pressure pipe networks.
• Critical depth and normal depth.
• Steady flow free surface profiles sketches.
• Describe flow–vegetation interactions and their effects on flow resistance and water levels.
• Explain the hydraulic functioning of a nature-based solution and discuss its potential and limitations for water resources management and hydraulic risk reduction.