Major research topics of Hydraulic Engineering can be collocated into two main research areas, which, however, are constantly evolving and intersecting with each other. Both areas integrate experimental, theoretical and numerical approaches in fundamental and application-oriented activities.

The Water & Environment research area deals primarily with the movement of water and other fluids on the surface and subsurface of the earth, with links to geophysical hazards. This includes traditional engineering applications such as open channel flows and the most recent advances on the modelling of particle-fluid flows in water and in air. The assessment and mitigation of risk associated with floods, river bridge failure and dispersion of pollutants in aquifers are of great concern

Research lines
River hydraulics
Flood risk management
Debris flows
Sediment transport
Flow and transport in porous media

The Fluids, Energy & Industry research area is at the forefront of sustainable development practices. It performs research into new systems, technologies and solutions for optimized design and management of processes involving fluid flows, with particular emphasis on energy harvesting, resource conservation and critical working conditions. Main focus is on pipe flows and subsurface transport in oil and water reservoirs, covering a large range of industrial applications, with links to mechanical and chemical engineering.

Research lines
Granular flows
Slurry erosion, cavitation, and fluid-dynamic noise (FluidLab)
Enhanced oil recovery
Green energy (FluidLab)
Flow control devices (FluidLab)
Water networks

Web resources
“Gaudenzio Fantoli” hydraulic laboratory
Mountain hydraulics laboratory
FluidLab research group