This content is blocked. Please review your Privacy Preferences.In the course of our 30 years of activity, we have designed, processed and managed over 250 projects.
The development of operational flood forecasting systems, the implementation of models for entire river systems as well as topics related to the regulation and management of power plant chains play a central role.
With the following gallery we give an overview of the range of works. We have grouped the projects for this purpose and selected a few – from our point of view particularly important – projects for each group. Many projects are described in summary, even if the individual projects are projects with several man-years of development work.
Flood forecast systems and operational systems
All our flood forecast systems and operational systems are individual software, which were designed and parameterized for a special task.
All flood forecast systems which were developed with our help or by us personally are a combination of meteorological forecasts, hydrological models and – at least for big rivers like Danube, Inn, Salzach, or Lech – a hydrodynamic models.
All systems were developed in teams, which involved scientists and software experts. The scientific process was often done by universities or other scientific facilities.
Besides the technical implementation, support in business management and structuring is a core competence of GR Consult. Thus, we have collaborated in an EU project concernig the flood forecast system for the River March and we have been part of a consortium to develop a forecast system for the Salzach. In that consortium we were handling the commercial management.
1D and 2D simulations for analyses and planning
We mainly use hydrodynamic models to analyze big river systems und complex issues. Our projects cover the entire spectrum of 1D and 2D model usage in hydrology and water resource management. Issues, that need 3D models demand cooperation with experienced partners, with whom we have been working for years.
As part of our experience, we would like to highlight the following projects as examples:
Reconstruction of floods – analyzes and reports
After the catastrophic floods of 2002 and 2013 on the Danube and its tributaries, we were commissioned with the reconstruction of the events and subsequently with comprehensive expert reports. The simulation of the processes in general and the influence of the power plants were in the foreground.
We carried out analyzes and reports on behalf of ministries, state governments, power plant operators and courts. We counter the fact that apparently competing objectives can arise from this with clarity, transparency and a scientifically based, testable methodology.
The findings from the reconstruction of the events were conveyed by us not only in comprehensive reports, but also in specialist lectures to authorities and experts, in public assemblies and – at the event in 2013 – in a specific video.
Control, automation, simulation and training
The modeling and analysis of the influence of power plants and the interaction between hydraulics and control are an essential aspect in many of our simulations.
We can differentiate between four subject areas in our projects:
Hydrodynamic analyzes
We use hydrodynamic analyzes to analyze the effects of different control strategies, weir operating regulations or e.g. supra-regional approaches for the management of polders during floods. The central results are dependencies, parameters and bases that are used for operational and technical decisions.
Test systems for control systems in water management
With test systems we usually provide a digital image of a river or a water system that includes all relevant hydrodynamic relationships.
The systems are equipped with standard interfaces, via which connected systems – e.g. a control module – can be integrated. Our customers use such test systems for the design and acceptance of control systems.
Development of control strategies and systems
As early as 2004, we integrated a control system into the online model for the Lech, which provided optimized suggestions for the management of the four largest reservoirs.
In cooperation with the ETH Zurich, we have developed an MPC system for 34 power plants on the Main and implemented it as a pilot system, which, as a superordinate control for all power plants, determined the flow so that the setpoints for the OW level were adhered to as best as possible without fluctuations generate in the runoff.
Implementation of analysis and training systems
With analysis and training systems, relationships can be recognized and the measures to be taken can be trained without the need for specific model knowledge.
We develop our systems in close cooperation with our customers, whereby different concepts are used for the input systems: A copy of the SCADA system is used when practicing on the real interface is important. Compressed input masks, on the other hand, can focus on seeing the hydrodynamic relationships.