This repository contains supporting data for the publication of 'The potential for Natural Fl... more This repository contains supporting data for the publication of 'The potential for Natural Flood Management to maintain free discharge at urban drainage outfalls'. Attached is an exemplar, annotated script for a single Dynamic TOPMODEL run in R. This forms the basis for all hydrological model runs. Similarly, there is an annotated script for the HEC-RAS Controller run through Matlab. This forms the basis for all hydraulic river runs. Raw input data such as rainfall data, level data, topographical data primarily comes from open access sources (Environment Agency, National River Flow Archive etc.) and so are not replicated here. This repository contains two photos. The first is of the Gough Way culvert. This photo is looking north towards the estate as the Bin Brook enters the culvert (and shows the trash screen). The second photo shows the Gough Way flood relief channel (looking west, downstream as it skirts the estate). It also shows the gauge camera (primarily used for flood warning systems)
The authors gratefully acknowledge the EPSRC for funding this research through the EPSRC Centre f... more The authors gratefully acknowledge the EPSRC for funding this research through the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Infrastructure and Built Environment (EPSRC grant reference number EP/L016095/1) and Urban Flood Resilience (EPSRC grant reference number EP/P004180/1).
This report presents the outcome of the wholeSEM UK Water - energy workshop held at the Universit... more This report presents the outcome of the wholeSEM UK Water - energy workshop held at the University of Cambridge on the 24 - 25th September, 2015. The workshop brought together 30 stakeholders involved in water and energy systems management from industry, academia, non-governmental organisations and government agencies.
Recently, household-level water treatment and safe storage systems (HWTS) have been developed and... more Recently, household-level water treatment and safe storage systems (HWTS) have been developed and promoted as simple, local, user-friendly, and low cost alternatives to conventional municipal-level drinking water treatment systems. Yet, despite conclusive evidence of the health and economic benefits of HWTS, the implementation outcomes have been slow, reaching only approximately 5-10 million people. This study attempts to understand the barriers and drivers affecting HWTS implementation. A review of existing literature on HWTS implementation found that existing research effort to promote HWTS is rather fragmented, with a narrow focus either on technical, psychological, or marketing perspective. Also, the application of innovation diffusion theories on HWTS implementation has been largely unexplored. To fill these research gaps, it is proposed that a system dynamics modelling approach to characterize the complex diffusion process of HWTS can be a valuable tool to identify high impact, leverage strategies to scale-up HWTS adoption and sustained use.
A synthetic pit latrine sludge is currently being developed as part of an investigation into the ... more A synthetic pit latrine sludge is currently being developed as part of an investigation into the mechanical emptying of pit latrines. The relevance and motivation for the project is first explained in relation to the current state of provision of sanitation around the world. The objectives of the investigation are defined and a holistic analysis presented on the potential effects of this research on pit latrine emptying. The existing state of knowledge of the physical properties of pit latrine sludge is discussed, including the baselin are presented along with the proposed methodology and experimental design. Finally a schedule of work is given for the remainder of the investigation.
Abstract: Games have been used at the Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden) and the University o... more Abstract: Games have been used at the Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden) and the University of Cambridge (UK) to aid the teaching of sustainable development to diverse groups of engineering students. This paper explores how games have helped students at two institutions to reflect on issues from different perspectives. More specifically, the work addresses whether games helped to stimulate students’ learning of facts; student reflections; and student peer discussions. The games evaluated include: Building Futures; Democracy; Dilemma; Fishbanks; GaSuCo; Power Grid; and Puerto Mauricio. Methodologies used include: student surveys; deep interviews; group interviews; and essays, written assignments and tests. The main findings are that games contribute strongly to the learning of sustainability and improve critical reflection as well as facilitate interpersonal communication. .
Recent findings from Owor et al. (2017) indicate that a high percentage of rural handpump-borehol... more Recent findings from Owor et al. (2017) indicate that a high percentage of rural handpump-boreholes (HPBs) in Uganda are in a state of failure. This research seeks to understand the high rate of failure by examining the siting and drilling/installation process in Uganda, and more specifically, aims to identify any factors within this process that may be adversely affecting the quality of the siting and drilling/installation work, and the subsequent functionality of rural Ugandan HPBs. Qualitative data from eighty semi-structured interviews highlighted a key concern within this process to be the use of turnkey contracts, paid via lump sum, no water, no pay payment terms. The following paper explores Ugandan turnkey contracts in more detail, outlining their dominance, why they are being used, their associated quality of siting and drilling/installation work concerns, and finally, the steps that need to be taken if these contracts are to be abandoned going forward.
This paper reflects on the motivation, method and effectiveness of teaching leadership and organi... more This paper reflects on the motivation, method and effectiveness of teaching leadership and organisational change to graduate engineers. Delivering progress towards sustainable development requires engineers who are aware of pressing global issues (such as resource depletion, climate change, social inequity and an interdependent economy) since it is they who deliver the goods and services that underpin society within these constraints. They also must understand how to implement change in the organisations within which they will work. In recognition of this fact the Cambridge University MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development has focussed on educating engineers to become effective change agents in their professional field with the confidence to challenge orthodoxy in adopting traditional engineering solutions. This paper reflects on ten years of delivering a special module to review how teaching change management and leadership aspects of the programme have evolved and progre...
Urban water managers must provide adequate water supplies to meet growing demands for a range of ... more Urban water managers must provide adequate water supplies to meet growing demands for a range of water uses (including essential drinking water) whilst mitigating the negative effects of water in the wrong place, which occur at times of flood arising from extreme weather events. Many urban areas around the world are becoming increasingly water stressed, and cities such as London are developing solutions to address expected future shortages. As well as physical challenges, this chapter discusses problems of effective water governance and how decision-making across multiple scales is needed for effective water resource management—combining both technical and non-technical innovations. Current practice is characterised by many unsustainable activities, with many cities locked into a legacy of ageing infrastructure systems developed in the past. Key characteristics of more sustainable water systems are presented which represent the paradigm shift that is required in how urban water is dealt with. Features of urban water resilience are examined which can be achieved through an iterative adaptive management approach to water management. Examples are given that relate to the use of green infrastructure to achieve water-sensitive urban design, which mitigates the adverse effects of storm water at locations where the rain falls, whilst simultaneously providing a range of other benefits. Multifunctional infrastructure is described where innovative engineering can deliver more than one service from a single purpose project. The chapter concludes by stressing the need to see the urban water system as part of the wider urban fabric which positively adds to the layout, security and liveability of future cities.
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 2020
The argument for natural flood management in the UK has strengthened in recent years with increas... more The argument for natural flood management in the UK has strengthened in recent years with increasing awareness of the potential benefits gained from upstream interventions (especially improvements in water quality, public amenities and biodiversity). This study aims to develop an understanding of another potential benefit—interventions promoting free discharge at downstream urban drainage outfalls by moderating water levels in receiving watercourses. A novel, coupled model (linking dynamic TOPMODEL, HEC-RAS and Infoworks ICM) is calibrated for the Asker catchment in Dorset, England. This predominantly rural watershed drains to the town of Bridport, frequently submerging a surface drainage outfall in a nearby housing estate. Two forms of upstream, catchment-scale intervention (hillslope tree planting and in-channel large woody debris) are modelled to understand their impacts on the functioning of the drainage network during both the calibration period and a range of design storms. Th...
This repository contains supporting data for the publication of 'The potential for Natural Fl... more This repository contains supporting data for the publication of 'The potential for Natural Flood Management to maintain free discharge at urban drainage outfalls'. Attached is an exemplar, annotated script for a single Dynamic TOPMODEL run in R. This forms the basis for all hydrological model runs. Similarly, there is an annotated script for the HEC-RAS Controller run through Matlab. This forms the basis for all hydraulic river runs. Raw input data such as rainfall data, level data, topographical data primarily comes from open access sources (Environment Agency, National River Flow Archive etc.) and so are not replicated here. This repository contains two photos. The first is of the Gough Way culvert. This photo is looking north towards the estate as the Bin Brook enters the culvert (and shows the trash screen). The second photo shows the Gough Way flood relief channel (looking west, downstream as it skirts the estate). It also shows the gauge camera (primarily used for flood warning systems)
The authors gratefully acknowledge the EPSRC for funding this research through the EPSRC Centre f... more The authors gratefully acknowledge the EPSRC for funding this research through the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Infrastructure and Built Environment (EPSRC grant reference number EP/L016095/1) and Urban Flood Resilience (EPSRC grant reference number EP/P004180/1).
This report presents the outcome of the wholeSEM UK Water - energy workshop held at the Universit... more This report presents the outcome of the wholeSEM UK Water - energy workshop held at the University of Cambridge on the 24 - 25th September, 2015. The workshop brought together 30 stakeholders involved in water and energy systems management from industry, academia, non-governmental organisations and government agencies.
Recently, household-level water treatment and safe storage systems (HWTS) have been developed and... more Recently, household-level water treatment and safe storage systems (HWTS) have been developed and promoted as simple, local, user-friendly, and low cost alternatives to conventional municipal-level drinking water treatment systems. Yet, despite conclusive evidence of the health and economic benefits of HWTS, the implementation outcomes have been slow, reaching only approximately 5-10 million people. This study attempts to understand the barriers and drivers affecting HWTS implementation. A review of existing literature on HWTS implementation found that existing research effort to promote HWTS is rather fragmented, with a narrow focus either on technical, psychological, or marketing perspective. Also, the application of innovation diffusion theories on HWTS implementation has been largely unexplored. To fill these research gaps, it is proposed that a system dynamics modelling approach to characterize the complex diffusion process of HWTS can be a valuable tool to identify high impact, leverage strategies to scale-up HWTS adoption and sustained use.
A synthetic pit latrine sludge is currently being developed as part of an investigation into the ... more A synthetic pit latrine sludge is currently being developed as part of an investigation into the mechanical emptying of pit latrines. The relevance and motivation for the project is first explained in relation to the current state of provision of sanitation around the world. The objectives of the investigation are defined and a holistic analysis presented on the potential effects of this research on pit latrine emptying. The existing state of knowledge of the physical properties of pit latrine sludge is discussed, including the baselin are presented along with the proposed methodology and experimental design. Finally a schedule of work is given for the remainder of the investigation.
Abstract: Games have been used at the Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden) and the University o... more Abstract: Games have been used at the Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden) and the University of Cambridge (UK) to aid the teaching of sustainable development to diverse groups of engineering students. This paper explores how games have helped students at two institutions to reflect on issues from different perspectives. More specifically, the work addresses whether games helped to stimulate students’ learning of facts; student reflections; and student peer discussions. The games evaluated include: Building Futures; Democracy; Dilemma; Fishbanks; GaSuCo; Power Grid; and Puerto Mauricio. Methodologies used include: student surveys; deep interviews; group interviews; and essays, written assignments and tests. The main findings are that games contribute strongly to the learning of sustainability and improve critical reflection as well as facilitate interpersonal communication. .
Recent findings from Owor et al. (2017) indicate that a high percentage of rural handpump-borehol... more Recent findings from Owor et al. (2017) indicate that a high percentage of rural handpump-boreholes (HPBs) in Uganda are in a state of failure. This research seeks to understand the high rate of failure by examining the siting and drilling/installation process in Uganda, and more specifically, aims to identify any factors within this process that may be adversely affecting the quality of the siting and drilling/installation work, and the subsequent functionality of rural Ugandan HPBs. Qualitative data from eighty semi-structured interviews highlighted a key concern within this process to be the use of turnkey contracts, paid via lump sum, no water, no pay payment terms. The following paper explores Ugandan turnkey contracts in more detail, outlining their dominance, why they are being used, their associated quality of siting and drilling/installation work concerns, and finally, the steps that need to be taken if these contracts are to be abandoned going forward.
This paper reflects on the motivation, method and effectiveness of teaching leadership and organi... more This paper reflects on the motivation, method and effectiveness of teaching leadership and organisational change to graduate engineers. Delivering progress towards sustainable development requires engineers who are aware of pressing global issues (such as resource depletion, climate change, social inequity and an interdependent economy) since it is they who deliver the goods and services that underpin society within these constraints. They also must understand how to implement change in the organisations within which they will work. In recognition of this fact the Cambridge University MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development has focussed on educating engineers to become effective change agents in their professional field with the confidence to challenge orthodoxy in adopting traditional engineering solutions. This paper reflects on ten years of delivering a special module to review how teaching change management and leadership aspects of the programme have evolved and progre...
Urban water managers must provide adequate water supplies to meet growing demands for a range of ... more Urban water managers must provide adequate water supplies to meet growing demands for a range of water uses (including essential drinking water) whilst mitigating the negative effects of water in the wrong place, which occur at times of flood arising from extreme weather events. Many urban areas around the world are becoming increasingly water stressed, and cities such as London are developing solutions to address expected future shortages. As well as physical challenges, this chapter discusses problems of effective water governance and how decision-making across multiple scales is needed for effective water resource management—combining both technical and non-technical innovations. Current practice is characterised by many unsustainable activities, with many cities locked into a legacy of ageing infrastructure systems developed in the past. Key characteristics of more sustainable water systems are presented which represent the paradigm shift that is required in how urban water is dealt with. Features of urban water resilience are examined which can be achieved through an iterative adaptive management approach to water management. Examples are given that relate to the use of green infrastructure to achieve water-sensitive urban design, which mitigates the adverse effects of storm water at locations where the rain falls, whilst simultaneously providing a range of other benefits. Multifunctional infrastructure is described where innovative engineering can deliver more than one service from a single purpose project. The chapter concludes by stressing the need to see the urban water system as part of the wider urban fabric which positively adds to the layout, security and liveability of future cities.
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 2020
The argument for natural flood management in the UK has strengthened in recent years with increas... more The argument for natural flood management in the UK has strengthened in recent years with increasing awareness of the potential benefits gained from upstream interventions (especially improvements in water quality, public amenities and biodiversity). This study aims to develop an understanding of another potential benefit—interventions promoting free discharge at downstream urban drainage outfalls by moderating water levels in receiving watercourses. A novel, coupled model (linking dynamic TOPMODEL, HEC-RAS and Infoworks ICM) is calibrated for the Asker catchment in Dorset, England. This predominantly rural watershed drains to the town of Bridport, frequently submerging a surface drainage outfall in a nearby housing estate. Two forms of upstream, catchment-scale intervention (hillslope tree planting and in-channel large woody debris) are modelled to understand their impacts on the functioning of the drainage network during both the calibration period and a range of design storms. Th...
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