Environment & Risks platform

Environment & risks platform

Environmental engineering, civil engineering, decision making

The environment and risks experimental platform is dedicated to studying natural gravity-driven phenomena such as mud flows, avalanches or landslides, and better understanding the mechanical behaviour of building materials and infrastructures submitted to strong or recurring constrains. The scientific approach includes studies carried out from the micro scale up to the whole structure.


TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT


The gravity pool for avalanches simulation (Credit: P. Poulet)
The gravity pool for avalanches simulation (Credit: P. Poulet)
The wave channel for the study of sediment transport
The wave channel for the study of sediment transport
The GIGA press for testing materials under extreme loading conditions
The GIGA press for testing materials under extreme loading conditions

▪ Durability and safety of structures interacting with soils (DESSIS): a park of machines for the study of the mechanical behaviour of natural or building materials and structures submitted to severe or recurring constrains (earthquakes, impacts, cyclic loading...) 

 

▪ Complex gravity-driven flows and matter fluxes (EOR): original equipments for the study of natural phenomena such as avalanches, mud and debris flows, and their impacts on structures.

Free surface flows, water and sediment transport (ECOUFLU): unique equipments dedicated to the study of natural and anthropic sysems (rivers, sandbanks, or coastal environments) and their morphological evolution

 

▪ The world's largest rotating platform (CORIOLIS) for the large scale reproduction of complex geophysical flows and the study of the associated phenomena (turbulence, instabilities, stratification)

 

▪ High tech characterisation and measurement devices such as 3D imaging, target tracking systems, acoustic probes, high speed cameras, laser anemometry systems...



METHODOLOGY

Design of a model experiment

for the simulation of a phenomenon under controlled conditions



EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS


Study of solid particles repartition in a torrential flow (Credit: H. Raguet)
Study of solid particles repartition in a torrential flow (Credit: H. Raguet)
Laser velocimetry measurement of particle dynamics in a turbulent flow
Laser velocimetry measurement of particle dynamics in a turbulent flow
X-ray study of  a sand grain assembly deformation during axial loading (Credit: E. Ando)
X-ray study of a sand grain assembly deformation during axial loading (Credit: E. Ando)

OUR RESEARCH CHAIRS

Tec21 partner laboratories are involved in long term collaborations with industry on topics dealing with energy, process engineering and environmental management.

Find our more about our research chairs