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HYDRALAB-IV – More than water

21 Dec 2010  


Funded by the European Commission, HYDRALAB-IV is an infrastructure network for research institutions experimentally investigating in the field of hydraulics and hydrodynamics. Within the network, DHI provides access to major experimental hydraulic facilities.

HYDRALABWithin the 7th Framework Programme (FP 7), the European Commission has now granted support to HYDRALAB-IV, the fourth stage of the HYDRALAB consortium, scheduled from 2010 to 2014. The consortium was launched in 1997 – originally with 8 members – as a forum for discussion of the future of laboratory experiments in hydraulic research. It has now expanded to 22 members from 12 European countries. From the beginning, this effort has been supported by the EC.

The subtitle "More than water" stresses that HYDRALAB-IV is dealing with the complex interaction of water with environmental elements, sediment, structures and ice. Whether it's violent waves hitting the foundations of offshore wind turbines, changes in arctic sea-ice formation following global warming, or pollutant dispersion by long shore currents – laboratory experiments allow insights that cannot be gained in the field or by pure modelling approaches.

The HYDRALAB-IV activities are scheduled under three headings:

  1. Networking - facilitating interaction between consortium partners and other researchers and professionals through working groups and meetings to discuss the developments within experimental research and its links to other methodologies (e.g. numerical modeling, field studies);
  2. Joint Research - to improve experimental tools and methods;
  3. Transnational Access to Research Infrastructures - giving researchers the opportunity to use experimental facilities in other countries. As part of this program, DHI provides access to its two multidirectional wave basins, a shallow water facility and an offshore (deepwater) basin. European scientists are invited to submit a proposal to apply for free access to the facilities (for more information, please follow the links).

Further information on HYDRALAB can be found at the project website www.hydralab.eu.