Modelling of the morphological evolution of an alluvial bed: application to the middle Loire

Urban development, construction of infrastructures, extraction of gravel from the beds of watercourses followed by stopping of dredging, along with ongoing climatic change, all contribute to modification of a river system’s sedimentary balance, and may therefore interfere with good hydro-system operation. Consequently, understanding of the processes by which the beds of watercourses evolve is of great importance to scientists, river basin managers and operators who seek to set up sustainable management systems and keep structures in place working smoothly, and to anticipate environmental restoration work. 

The thesis aims to propose methods for improving understanding of the processes by which a long watercourse (several hundred kilometres) evolves, and long-term modelling (several decades). With such time and space scales, simplification of the phenomena under study is required in order to reduce the time needed for calculation of models. 

Thesis Supervisors: 

• Florentina Moata, Professor, University of Tours
• André Paquier, I.C.G.R.E.F., Cemagref, Lyon

On the Internet: 

• University of Tours –Geology of Continental Aquatic Environments Laboratory
• Cemagref, Lyon - RU Hydrology – Hydraulics · HHLY – River Hydraulics