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Flood Risk Management

Characterisation and management of flood impacts through state-of-the-art modelling tools.

Increasing flood risk

Floods are the most frequent, economically damaging and socially disruptive of natural disasters. The frequency of river and tidal flood events is increasing more rapidly than other natural disasters.

This is a result of climate change, urbanisation and environmental degradation.

Flooded river in the English countryside.

Managing flood risk

Flood risk management aims to reduce the likelihood and impact of floods. It provides a framework that balances the many factors that affect risk, while considering societal values. This involves:

  • data and information gathering
  • performing hydrodynamic modelling
  • risk assessment
  • appraisal of options
  • the implementation of solutions

Innovative flood modelling

We have developed a suite of state-of-the-art hydrodynamic modelling tools. These tools include the GPU enabled HiPIMS and cloud-enabled CityCAT.

We have also developed novel approaches to characterising flood impacts, such as:

  • using network models to assess impacts on infrastructure
  • using agent-based models to understand evacuation during flood events

We work closely with our Geomatics colleagues. We are combining new remote sensing and other data with advanced analytics and informatics. Together, this provides new high resolution and real time flood risk management.

Managing floods around the world

We are currently exploring issues relating to the management of floods in the UK and overseas, including Bangladesh and Vietnam.

We make communities more resilient to flooding. We provide strategies that are more sustainable given an uncertain future.

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