Date of Award:

5-2023

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Committee Chair(s)

Zachary B. Sharp

Committee

Zachary B. Sharp

Committee

Steven L. Barfuss

Committee

John D. Rice

Abstract

Floods have been a hazard to people since people first started building near rivers. Predicting floods can be very beneficial to save lives and property. Computers have made it possible to solve fluid dynamics equations in a fast and efficient manner. Computer programs have been designed to solve these equations and create digital models of floods.

This study compares three different methods of computer modeling and explores their advantages and disadvantages. One-dimensional models solve fluid equations by setting up a series of cross sections. Two-dimensional models use a grid-like mesh to solve fluid equations from one cell to the next. Three-dimensional or computational fluid dynamics models use a three-dimensional mesh to solve complex fluid equations.

The study focuses on a stretch of the Logan river, located in Logan, Utah USA. This is a stretch of river that is prone to flooding during high runoff due to snowmelt. Determining the primary causes of flooding can help create plans to reduce the risk of loss of life, and property damage.

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