1

THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM "SAFETY OF HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES"

1. Substantiation of the program.

The analysis of the problem.

In curricula of leading civil engineering universities of Russia (MGSU, MSUEE, etc.) and Europe there

is no subject “Safety of Hydraulic Structures” for Masters (Sc.) despite of its obvious urgency for Russia

and Europe, the CIS countries and many other countries of the world.

In this connection it’s enough to recollect recent catastrophic floods in Russia on the Lena, Kuban and

other rivers and on many rivers of Europe resulted in huge material and social damages. These floods

were accompanied by failure of many dams and protective dikes that reveals insufficient attention of

federal and local authorities to the problem of safety of rivers and hydraulic structures. Except for

hydraulic structures on the rivers included in hydroprojects with power and water-economic purposes on

which the control of their states is usually conducted, there are many flood protective dikes along

reservoirs, rivers and cities which state often is not controlled though it does not respond to criteria of

safety.

The urgency of the problem of safety of rivers and hydraulic structures is aggravated with change of a

climate in mountainous regions of Russia, Europe, CIS countries and many other countries of the world,

growth of population density, location of settlements, cities and enterprises in the downstream of

hydroprojects, ageing of hydraulic structures and their equipment, etc.

In connection with introduction in Norms of Design and Construction of Russia new map of maximum

possible earthquakes in Russia made by the Institute of Physics of the Earth of the Russian Academy of

Sciences (IPE RAS), many areas of Russia which were earlier not considered seismically dangerous, now

are considered as those, and areas with a moderate level of seismic danger, have now got in zones of 8-9

earthquake intensities. This circumstance also urgently demands revaluation of seismic safety of many

hydropower stations, dams and hydraulic structures.

2. The program.

The basic aim of the program:

To develop the new curriculum “Safety of Hydraulic Structures” with use of achievements of science and

technology in this area for training students, masters and post-graduates and professional upgrading and

retraining of hydraulic engineers for the purpose of their active participation in programs on a safety of

rivers and hydraulic structures in Russia, the CIS and other countries.

Duration and structure of the curriculum "Safety of Hydraulic Structures".

Approximate duration of the program - last two semesters of M.Sc. studies (34 training weeks).

Total amount of study hours - 136 hour (2х68), including: lectures - 68 hour (3х34), practical studies - 68

hours (3х34), project works - 5 hours/student.

The basic sections of the curriculum "Safety of Hydraulic Structure":

1. Hydrological and morphological aspects of safety of natural (non-regulated) and regulated rivers;

2. Assessment of criteria of safety of hydraulic structures;

3. Assessment of hydro-dynamical and hydraulic safety of dams and spillways.

4. Structural safety of embankment dams under action of static and seismic forces.