Numerical modeling of cohesive sediment transport and bed morphology in estuaries (original) (raw)

The present dissertation is the result of a research effort carried out in Laboratoire d'Ingénierie Numérique (LIN) of the School of Engineering (STI) in the Institute of Energy (IE) at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne (EPFL). I wish to express my heartleft thanks to Professor Michel O. Deville, Mustafa S. Altinakar and Alfio Quarteroni, for offering the chance to study simultaneously in LIN, LHE (Laboratoire d'Hydraulique Environnementale) at EPFL, and to interact with the MOX (Laboratorio di Modellistica e Calcolo Scientifico) at the Politecnico Milano in Italy. They provided me with a pleasant research environment, many discussions and continuous encouragement. Prof. Michel O. Deville gave me the opportunity to come to EPFL within the LIN (former LMF) and he has always been confident in me, and I am very appreciative of his continuous support and guidance. This was the start of a very productive scientific interaction and the opening of a wonderful period in my life. I am grateful to Prof. Walter H. Graf with special thanks to Prof. Mustafa S. Altinakar, who gave me their intelligent guidance. From the beginning of my thesis they interested me in research on environmental, river and lake hydraulics, during many fruitful discussions we have had. I am specially indebted to Dr. Edie Miglio with whom I have learned a lot, not only about numerics. He gave me invaluable help for my research and helped me without reservation during my numerous visits to Milano. Special thanks to Prof. Alfio Quarteroni and Prof. Fausto Saleri who gave me many fruitful assistances and to have provided me with an essential part of data for the Po River Estuary. I would like to express my gratitude to the members of the jury, Prof. M. O. Deville, Prof. M S. Altinakar (NCCHE-Mississipi), Prof. A. Quarteroni (EPFL), Dr. J. Bühler (ETHZ), Dr. E. Miglio (MOX-Politecnico Milano) and the president of the jury Prof. C. Ancey (EPFL) for accepting to read my thesis and to be part of the jury. I am also indebted to Professor Ebenezer Njeugna, for his support at the beginning of my research and especially to have been the first to interest me in the study of the hydro-sedimentary flows within estuaries. He enabled me to carry out a practical training course with the port of Douala located on the Wouri Estuary in Cameroon. Thanks to the General Manager of the "Port Autonome de Douala-PAD" and to all his/her collaborators of the division for the maritime field for their perfect collaboration. Special thanks to Dr. Koen Blanckaert who provided me with some useful benchmark data and helpful advice during my research. Many thanks to Mrs. Cathérine Vickenbosch and Annette Jaccard of the Service of orientation and council, mobility, social service at EPFL, for their support at the time of my arrival in Switzerland. Many thanks to Mrs Birgitta Mergozzi (our secretary), Dr.