PNW CE Students Had Virtual Flood Modeling Lab in CIVS

On April 28 and 30, PNW Civil Engineering students used the CIVS Virtual Flood Simulator to learn about flood mitigation strategies in the CIVS Immersive Theater, as part of the CE 34200 Hydrology and Hydraulics course. The simulator was created under an NSF grant led by Professor Chandramouli and CIVS Senior Research Scientist John “Jack” Moreland. It visualizes data collected from the 100-year flood event that occurred around the Little Calumet River in NW Indiana, and simulated data to show the impact of various remediation strategies on flood.

During the virtual lab, students measured data at different times during the flood and were able to see the impact of levees and sluice gate operation. The U.S. Corps of Army Engineers installed a series of levees at various points around Little Calumet River in response to the event to help deal with future flooding.