Institute for hydraulic research

Institute for Hydraulic Research – Hydroinstitute has developed in 1954 by separation of Laboratory of Water Construction from the Faculty of Arhitecture, Civil Engineering, and Geodesy, where it was operating since 1937. At present 14 researchers are employed. The part of financing from the side of the Ministry of Science and Technology (cca 40%) is decreasing while orders from the market are growing. The basic orientation of the Hydroinstitute are hydraulic model researches (HMR) on physical (material) models, which of course comprise a list of complementary expert activities. Research on physical models goes hand in hand with the development of mathematical modeling and thus enables on one side setting up of hypotheses, their verification and finally testing, calibration, and verification of constructed mathematical models. On the other side, cooperation between physical and mathematical models enables simplification of both models, which at last means more rational research and design, i.e. more rational use of tax-payers’ money. As an expert institution we perform measurements of flow and calibrations, or verifications of flow-measuring devices, e.g. in sewers, or on waste-water treatment plants. When constructing physical or mathematical models, we need exact geodetic mapping, so we do perform also classical and satellite geodesy as well as measurements of the bottom of water bodies with a sonar – both measurements together result in a cost- and time-effective maps of very high accuracy and resolution. We are of course interested to learn what is happening with the constructed objects during their exploitation – we thus measure sedimentation of accumulations, erosion downstream dams and weirs, efficiency of the installed turbines, verify the consumption characteristics, etc. We give expert opinions and are involved by new- or re- constructions. A priority task is also to assure international comparison and gain competition through the implementation of the ISO 9000 standards. Our present work comprises: i) basic and applied scientific research (a) basic 3-yr research project: “Hydraulic models and the environment” with three focused basic research components, code no: J2-9098-1500-97, (b) applied 1,5-yr project: “Autonomous vortex-flow appliances in hydraulics”, code no.: L2-1425-1500-99, which has in great deal components of basic research, (c) applied 2-yr research project: “Influence of impoundments on the temperature conditions in the river downstream”, code no.: L2-7966-1500-96, ii)research for the market: (a) HMR of the impoundment and the dam Vrhovo (b) HMR of the new dam for Hydro Electric Power Plant (HEPP) Moste III (c) HMR of the second turbine intake on the dam Ajba for HEPP Plave II (d) HMR of the surge tank for HEPP Plave II, Doblar II, and Moste III iii) expertise: (a) Gudance by establishing flow measuring stations, e.g. in sewerage (b) checking the performance (accuracy) of the measuring stations, (c) studies of functioning of the rainfall-runoff devices from the highways, iv) international cooperation: (a) at present time informal