Hydraulic Modeling for Tunnel Drainage
Expert-defined terms from the Advanced Certificate in Tunnel Drainage Engineering course at London School of Business and Administration. Free to read, free to share, paired with a globally recognised certification pathway.
Advanced Certificate in Tunnel Drainage Engineering #
A specialized certification program that focuses on the design, analysis, and implementation of tunnel drainage systems.
Catchment Area #
The total land area that contributes water to a tunnel or underground structure through surface runoff or groundwater flow.
Convergence #
The inward movement of the tunnel lining due to the weight of the soil and rock above, which can affect the flow of water in the tunnel.
Critical Flow #
The flow rate in a tunnel or conduit that represents the boundary between subcritical and supercritical flow.
Drainage Tunnel #
A tunnel specifically designed to intercept and convey groundwater or surface water away from a construction site or underground structure.
Energy Grade Line #
A line that represents the total energy per unit weight of a fluid along a tunnel or conduit, taking into account both the pressure and velocity of the fluid.
Finite Element Method (FEM) #
A numerical analysis technique used to simulate the behavior of complex systems, including tunnel drainage systems, by dividing the system into smaller, more manageable elements.
Groundwater Flow #
The movement of water through the soil and rock below the ground surface, which can affect the stability of a tunnel and the flow of water in the tunnel.
Hydraulic Grade Line #
A line that represents the pressure head of a fluid along a tunnel or conduit, taking into account the elevation and velocity of the fluid.
Hydraulic Modeling #
The use of mathematical models to simulate the flow of water in a tunnel or conduit, taking into account factors such as the geometry of the tunnel, the properties of the fluid, and the boundary conditions.
Infiltration #
The movement of water from the ground surface into the soil, which can contribute to the flow of water in a tunnel or conduit.
Lagrangian Method #
A numerical analysis technique used to simulate the behavior of a fluid in a tunnel or conduit, in which the fluid is represented as a series of discrete particles that move and interact with one another.
Non #
Newtonian Fluid: A fluid that does not follow the simple relationship between shear stress and shear rate described by Newton's law of viscosity, which can affect the flow of water in a tunnel or conduit.
Pressure Head #
The height to which a column of fluid would rise due to the pressure exerted by the fluid, measured relative to a reference level.
Reynolds Number #
A dimensionless quantity used to predict the transition from laminar to turbulent flow in a fluid, based on the fluid's velocity, density, and viscosity, and the diameter of the tunnel or conduit.
Siphonage #
The phenomenon in which a tunnel or conduit acts as a siphon, causing water to flow from a higher to a lower elevation due to the pressure difference between the two ends of the tunnel.
Specific Energy #
The total energy per unit weight of a fluid, taking into account both the pressure and velocity of the fluid, expressed in terms of the fluid's depth above a reference level.
Subcritical Flow #
The flow of a fluid in a tunnel or conduit at a velocity below the critical flow velocity, in which the fluid is stable and does not exhibit significant turbulence.
Supercritical Flow #
The flow of a fluid in a tunnel or conduit at a velocity above the critical flow velocity, in which the fluid is unstable and exhibits significant turbulence.
Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) #
A large, specialized machine used to excavate tunnels, which can be equipped with systems for controlling and managing the flow of water in the tunnel.
Unsteady Flow #
The flow of a fluid in a tunnel or conduit that varies with time, which can be caused by changes in the flow rate, the geometry of the tunnel, or other factors.
Velocity Head #
The height to which a column of fluid would rise due to its velocity, measured relative to a reference level.
Viscosity #
A measure of a fluid's resistance to flow, which can affect the flow of water in a tunnel or conduit.
Weir #
A barrier or dam placed across a tunnel or conduit to measure or control the flow of water.
Yield Strength #
The minimum stress that a material can withstand without undergoing permanent deformation, which is an important consideration in the design of tunnel drainage systems.