Hydraulic Modelling

The word ‘hydraulic’ comes from the Greek word ‘hydraulikos’, meaning water. The vital importance of water to human life is justified by the fact that hydraulic engineering is as old as civilization itself. There is much evidence that hydraulic system of considerable magnitude existed several thousand years ago. A large-scale drainage and irrigation system built in Egypt can be dated back to 3200BC. Rather complex water supply systems, including several hundred kilometers of aqueducts, were constructed to bring water to ancient Rome. Dujenyen, a massive irrigation system in Siechman, China, build nearly 2500 years ago, is still in effective use today. The abundant knowledge developed from these experiences has been found to be indispensable.

Hydraulic system are designed to deal with water at rest and in motion, and designed to control, conserve, or transport water. The planning, construction and operation of hydraulic system involves the application of fluid mechanics and others science and engineering disciplines in the design of structures, and the development of projects and systems involving water resources.

Unlike most other branches of engineering, each hydraulic project encounters a unique set of physical conditions to which it must confirm. There is no standard solution for which simple handbook answers can be assessed. Hydraulic engineering itself relies on fundamental knowledge that must be applied to meet the special conditions of each project.