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Presently I am working on the following research project:
- For consulting projects visit "Consulting" in the Main menu.
For Spanish go to "Investigacion" and for consulting go to "Consulting" in the main menu.
Modeling of dredging operations in alluvial rivers
Modeling of dredging operations in alluvial rivers
In many rivers material is extracted from the bed, crushed in a quarry and sold for construction projects. This operation affects the natural behavior of the sediment in the river. When a river is dredged, geomorphology, flow patterns and sedimentation processes change. As a result, degradation or aggradation of the channel bed will occur. The effects are transmitted upstream and downstream affecting bridges or other structures in the vicinity of the site. A sediment transport study helps predict the physical behavior of a channel and determine the amount of dredging, if applicable, that should be done in a river.
The main objective of this project is to develop a complete analysis of fluvial mining exploitation following the methods proposed in the guidelines of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Puerto Rico (Silva-Araya and Rivera-Santos, 2016a, in Publications). The dredging operation will be simulated using a sediment transport model and several management scenarios will be provided to HEC-RAS to test the capabilities of this methodology. The results of this study find wide application in other countries because the environmental consequences are similar everywhere. It will also provide management techniques to help reduce excess river extraction and prevent irreversible damage to the environment. This is an ongoing project ...
Dynamic modeling of surface runoff combined with storm surge
Dynamic modeling of surface runoff combined with storm surge
This study is in its second stage of development. It is funded by CARICOOS (Caribbean Coastal Ocean Observing System, CARICOOS)
The first stage was aimed at determining the effects of flood caused by the combination of storm surge and surface runoff due to the passage of Hurricane Georges on the East coast of PR. The system was modeled using a combination of tools including: a two-dimensional hydrological model and cyclonic surge simulations with a high-resolution ocean circulation model. A coupling technique was developed to integrate the results of the storm surge model with the hydrological model. The results show that the combined effects of storm surge penetration and surface runoff caused by heavy rains deposited by Hurricane Georges increased flood levels in the coastal zone. More information available in English press here.
Calculation of Gradually Varied Flow in Channel Networks with Hydraulic Structures
Calculation of Gradually Varied Flow in Channel Networks with Hydraulic Structures
Irrigation District of the Lajas Valley
This research develops a computational model to determine water levels and discharges in a complex network of channels with hydraulic structures. The proposed algorithm, "Simultaneous Solution Method" (SSM), solves the equation of energy and mass simultaneously for the gradually varied flow, in addition to the equations required for the analysis and / or design of lateral weirs , gates and inverted siphons. Four case studies were evaluated for research using SSM; three of these cases are idealized channel systems and one of them is a real system obtained from the Irrigation District of the Lajas Valley in Puerto Rico. Two of the proposed cases were also evaluated using the "Standard Step Method" (StdSM), which is used in the program HEC-RAS. Two numerical methods were used to solve the non-linear system of equations by the Newton-Raphson method, the "Bi-Conjugate Gradient Stabilizer Method" (BiCGSTAB) and the "Gauss Elimination Method" (GEM). The results of a percentage error analysis based on the "Direct Step Method" show that the SSM obtained a lower percentage of error than the StdSM. Also the BiCGSTAB solved the system faster than the GEM and successfully converged in all the proposed cases. The SSM is excellent for determining water levels, discharges and diverged flows throug weirs and gates. The SSM is capable of solving hydraulic systems whose complexity exceeds the capabilities of HEC-RAS and has proven to be excellent for practical applications due to its easy use, efficiency and accuracy. A publication in ASCE will come out soon.
Geomorphological impacts in the rivers of Puerto Rico during extreme events (on-going)
Geomorphological impacts in the rivers of Puerto Rico during extreme events (on-going)
This project is in development. It studies the geomorphological changes in some rivers of Puerto Rico that have occurred over the years, as well as, the dramatic changes that occurred recently due to the direct impact of Hurricane Maria. The project proposes to make use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) equipped with cameras to take spatial information in the areas of interest. Hydrological and hydraulic models will be prepared to simulate the evolution of the cause and its future implications.
Validation and demonstration of Vegetation Manning’s n values for Retardance Index in the Caribbean Area to Cover Waterways and Open Channels and Reduce Risk of Erosion (on-going)
Validation and demonstration of Vegetation Manning’s n values for Retardance Index in the Caribbean Area to Cover Waterways and Open Channels and Reduce Risk of Erosion (on-going)
The USDA-NRCS Caribbean Area identified sixteen (16) species as vegetative lining for waterways in Puerto Rico and proposed a classification according to the degree of retardance. Presently, the retardance classification for species in Puerto Rico has not been validated. The methodology proposed in this project combines advances in hydraulic engineering, plant bioengineering and controlled experiments with well-known correlations for retardance classifications. These proven techniques guarantee a successful delivery of products.
Project objective: The purpose of this proposal is to validate and demonstrate local vegetation-Manning’s “n” values for Retardance Index, in the Caribbean Area, to cover waterways and open channels and reduce risk of erosion. Results from this project will assist Caribbean NRCS in selection of important parameters for practical applications on design and analysis of grassed waterways for applications in agriculture.
Project methods: The methodology make use of controlled laboratory and field experiments. A flume will be built designed specifically to study vegetative waterways. Field experiments on a larger scale will supplement experimental data. Flow meters, Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters, water level gauges and weirs will be used as measurement tools. Values of Manning’s n versus the product of velocity and hydraulic radius (VR) will be obtained for four (4) grass species and vegetative conditions. The n-VR values will be superimposed over the retardance classification curves to validate the NRCS relation for species in the Caribbean.
Project deliverables/products
1) Retardance classes for recommended for grassed waterways in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
2) Determination of the roughness coefficient for Manning’s equation.
3) Updated n-VR design curves for retardance classes.
4) Illustrated Guide for Quick Selection of Retardance Index and Manning’s n values for grassed Waterways
5) Software for design of grassed waterways, with parameters for species in the Caribbean.
6) Recommendations on scour potential for grassed waterways and how to reduce risk of scour.
Level of protection of the Barceloneta levee against floods using a two-dimensional model of the Rio Grande de Manati
Level of protection of the Barceloneta levee against floods using a two-dimensional model of the Rio Grande de Manati
This study consists of the creation of a two-dimensional hydraulic model to simulate the breaking of the dike that surrounds the city of Barceloneta on the north coast of Puerto Rico. The model was made using Adaptive Hydraulics (AdH).
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