Research in ASCE's Hydraulics Division

Research in the Hydraulics Division of ASCE during the last 50 years has undergone changes in both technical content and procedures. Open channel flow, sediment transport and pipe flow remain paramount, but the studies have become much more analytical. More people are involved, and the field is more fragmented. The use of dimensionless ratios and parameters developed rapidly. The Froude number, the cavitation number and others were defined, and dimensional analyses came into style. The question of how well models predict prototype behavior is a perennial concern. Basic research has enlightened processes like sediment suspension, stratified flow, air entrainment and jet diffusion. Numerical analysis began even before the arrival of the computer and then became a second way of modelling fluid flows. The field of hydraulics has expanded to include water resources, more concern for the environment and other topics. Specialization is much greater and communication less complete. The totality of effort is impressive and it has produced striking advances.