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Application of Artificial Intelligence in Hydraulic Engineering, 2nd Edition

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A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "New Sensors, New Technologies and Machine Learning in Water Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 March 2026 | Viewed by 2927

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Dr. Lin Cheng

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Guest Editor

Institute of Water Resources and Hydro-Electric Engineering, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China
Interests: hydraulic engineering; numerical simulation; seismic analysis; monitoring equipment; non-destructive test
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Dr. Chunhui Ma

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Guest Editor

Institute of Water Resources and Hydro-Electric Engineering, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China
Interests: dam safety; discrete element method; monitoring model; machine learning; rockfill material
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Jie Yang

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Dear Colleagues,

The intelligent algorithm is a research method that is frequently used to solve critical scientific problems in the field of engineering. It has been extensively employed for the optimal design, structural simulation, safety monitoring and safety evaluation of water conservancy projects due to its capacity for regression, classification, clustering and dimension reduction. Experiments and numerical simulations are limited by the duration and cost of traditional research methods. With the advancement of sensors and measurement technology, a large volume of safety monitoring data has been accumulated in water conservancy projects. By utilizing various numerical calculation methods, such as finite element, boundary element and discrete element, numerous structural calculation data have been obtained for analysis. Intelligent algorithms have become a powerful tool for the collection of monitoring data and calculation data, for the mining of information, and for the accurate and rapid construction of associations. Combined with traditional computing techniques such as geotechnical tests, non-destructive testing and numerical simulation, intelligent algorithms enable us to understand various laws and mechanisms in water-conservancy projects, and thus achieve the fusion of mechanism and data; this is crucial in enhancing the safety of water conservancy projects and the development of society. Therefore, this Special Issue will focus on the application of intelligent algorithms in water conservancy projects. The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following topics: the intelligent sensing of structural monitoring or detection data, data analysis for dam monitoring, the fusion of multi-source monitoring information, the inverse analysis of material parameters, agent models of the numerical simulation method, the safety evaluation of hydraulic structures, and the intelligent modelling of water conservancy projects.

Dr. Lin Cheng
Dr. Chunhui Ma
Prof. Dr. Jie Yang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

artificial intelligence
hydraulic engineering
safety monitoring
mechanism and data fusion
numerical simu-lation

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 1307 KB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating the Frost Cracking Mechanisms of Water-Saturated Fissured Rock Slopes Based on a Meshless Model

by Chunhui Guo, Feixiang Zeng, Han Shao, Wenbing Zhang, Bufan Zhang, Wei Li and Shuyang Yu

Water 2025, 17(19), 2858; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17192858 - 30 Sep 2025

Abstract

In global cold regions and seasonal frozen soil areas, frost heave failure of rock slopes severely endangers infrastructure safety, particularly along China’s Sichuan–Tibet and Qinghai–Tibet Railways. To address this, a meshless numerical model based on the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method was developed to simulate progressive frost heave and fracture of water-saturated fissured rock masses—its novelty lies in avoiding grid distortion and artificial crack path assumptions of FEM as well as complex parameter calibration of DEM by integrating the maximum tensile stress criterion (with a binary fracture marker for particle failure), thermodynamic phase change theory (classifying fissure water into water, ice-water mixed, and ice particles), and the equivalent thermal expansion coefficient method to quantify frost heave force. Systematic simulations of fissure parameters (inclination angle, length, number, and row number) revealed that these factors significantly shape failure modes: longer fissures and more rows shift failure from strip-like to tree-like/network-like, more fissures accelerate crack coalescence, and larger inclination angles converge stress to fissure tips. This study clarifies key mechanisms and provides a theoretical/numerical reference for cold region rock slope stability control. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Artificial Intelligence in Hydraulic Engineering, 2nd Edition)

13 pages, 2022 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Practical Method for Ecological Flow Calculation to Support Integrated Ecological Functions of the Lower Yellow River, China

by Xinyuan Chen, Lixin Zhang and Lei Tang

Water 2025, 17(15), 2326; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152326 - 5 Aug 2025

Viewed by 355

Abstract

The lower Yellow River is characterized by low water discharge and a high sediment load, resulting in a fragile aquatic ecosystem. It is important to develop a reasonable method of ecological flow calculation that can be applied to the water-scarce rivers like the Yellow River. In this paper, we selected the Huayuankou hydrological station in the lower Yellow River as our study site and assessed the ecological flow using several methodologies including the monthly frequency calculation method, the sediment transportation method, the habitat simulation method, and the improved annual distribution method. Based on the seasonal applicability of the four methods across months of the year, we established an ecological flow calculation method that considers the integrated ecological functions of the lower Yellow River. In this method, ecological flow in the lower Yellow River during the dry season (November to March) can be determined by using the improved annual distribution method, ecological flow in the fish spawning period (April to June) can be calculated using the habitat simulation method, and the ecological flow during the flood season (July to October) can be calculated using the sediment transportation method. The optimal ecological flow regime for the Huayuankou section was determined using the established method. The ecological flow regimes derived in our study ranged from 310 m³/s to 1532 m³/s. However, we also observed that the ecological flow has a relatively low assurance rate during the flood season in the lower Yellow River, with the assurance rate not exceeding 63%. This highlights the fact that more attention should be given in reservoir regulations to facilitating sediment transport downstream. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Artificial Intelligence in Hydraulic Engineering, 2nd Edition)

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15 pages, 4207 KB

Open AccessArticle

Impact Analysis of Inter-Basin Water Transfer on Water Shortage Risk in the Baiyangdian Area

by Yuhang Shi, Lixin Zhang and Jinping Zhang

Water 2025, 17(15), 2311; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152311 - 4 Aug 2025

Viewed by 460

Abstract

This study quantitatively assesses the risk of water shortage (WSR) in the Baiyangdian area due to the Inter-Basin Water Transfer (IBWT) project, focusing on the impact of water transfer on regional water security. The actual evapotranspiration (ETa) is calculated, and the correlation simulation using Archimedes’ Copula function is implemented in Python 3.7.1, with optimization using the sum of squares of deviations (OLS) and the AIC criterion. The joint distribution model between ETa and three water supply scenarios is constructed. Key findings include (1) ETa increased by 27.3% after water transfer, far exceeding the slight increase in water supply before the transfer; (2) various Archimedean Copulas effectively capture the dependence and joint probability distribution between water supply and ETa; (3) water shortage risk increased after water transfer, with rainfall and upstream water unable to alleviate the problem in Baiyangdian; and (4) cross-basin water transfer reduced risk, with a reduction of 8.90% in the total probability of three key water resource scheduling combinations. This study establishes a Copula-based framework for water shortage risk assessment, providing a scientific basis for water allocation strategies in ecologically sensitive areas affected by human activities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Artificial Intelligence in Hydraulic Engineering, 2nd Edition)

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16 pages, 9188 KB

Open AccessArticle

Non-Darcy Seepage Models of Broken Rock Mass Under Changed Hydraulic and Porous Structure

by Cheng Cao, Zhihua Zhang, Zengguang Xu, Junrui Chai, Yuan Shi and Ning Li

Water 2025, 17(11), 1676; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17111676 - 31 May 2025

Viewed by 740

Abstract

The non-Darcy seepage characteristics of broken rock mass is important for analyzing the seepage and stability of rock and soil mass. At present, the research on non-Darcy seepage models considering hydraulic conditions and medium void structures has considerable room for improvement. In this study, non-Darcy seepage tests were conducted on broken rock mass under the influence of different hydraulic pressures, sample gradations, and porosities. The influence of sample gradation and porosity on the linear and nonlinear term coefficients of Forchheimer’s law, the critical criterion of non-Darcy seepage, and the seepage flow regime was clarified. The influence of hydraulic gradient on the value of traditional hydraulic conductivity was revealed. A non-Darcy equivalent hydraulic conductivity, which changed with pressure gradient, was defined, then Forchheimer’s law and Darcy’s law were modified. Results showed that the relationship between pressure gradient and flow rate highly obeyed Forchheimer’s law. The minimum value of Forchheimer number was 9.4 times the critical value. Owing to the influence of inertial force and variable seepage channels, the linear and nonlinear term coefficients of Forchheimer’s law decreased while the Forchheimer number increased with the increase of pressure gradient, sample gradation, and porosity. With high hydraulic gradient, the non-Darcy equivalent hydraulic conductivity decreased nonlinearly, causing Darcy’s law to overestimate the seepage flow in this study by 2.47–13.40 times. Finally, Forchheimer’s law and Darcy’s law were modified to consider the influence of hydraulic gradient, sample gradation, and porosity. The modified Darcy’s law does not require the determination of the seepage flow regime and can accommodate the mutual transformation and coexistence between Darcy and non-Darcy seepage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Artificial Intelligence in Hydraulic Engineering, 2nd Edition)

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20 pages, 19968 KB

Open AccessArticle

Influence Mechanism of Spatial Variability of Permeability Coefficient on Seepage Characteristics of High Core Rockfill Dams: Insights from Numerical Simulations

by Qinqin Guo, Xiang Lu, Xiaolian Liu and Jiankang Chen

Water 2025, 17(7), 1064; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17071064 - 3 Apr 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 640

Abstract

The spatial variability of permeability coefficients in multi-component materials poses significant challenges for the seepage safety of high core rockfill dams. This study systematically investigates the influence mechanism of the spatial variability of permeability coefficients on seepage characteristics through a stochastic framework combining random field simulation, non-intrusive finite element analysis, and multi-scheme numerical experiments. Based on the measured data and statistical analysis, random fields of permeability coefficients are constructed, and eight computational schemes are designed to analyze the differential impacts of spatial variability in zones of the core wall, cut-off wall, rockfill, overburden, and curtain. The results show that the spatial variability of permeability coefficients in the rockfill, overburden, and curtain materials has a negligible effect on the seepage behavior, with the coefficient of variation of the hydraulic gradient at feature points remaining below 0.04. In contrast, the spatial variability of permeability in the core wall and cut-off walls significantly affects the seepage characteristics. Specifically, the hydraulic gradient in the core wall increases by an average of 4.8%, with a maximum increase of 34%, and the coefficient of variation of the hydraulic gradient at feature points ranges from 0.15 to 0.18. The maximum hydraulic gradient at the release point of the core wall rises from 1.67 to 1.75 when the spatial variability is considered. Additionally, the spatial variability of permeability in the core wall leads to greater discreteness in the hydraulic gradient of the cut-off walls, weakening the coordinated anti-seepage effect between the main and secondary cut-off walls. The statistical analysis reveals that the hydraulic gradient at feature points follows a normal distribution. Furthermore, when the coefficient of variation of the core wall permeability increases from 1.46 to 2.03, the maximum hydraulic gradient at key points rises from 2.0 to 2.3. These findings highlight the necessity for the strict quality control of permeability parameters in core wall and cut-off wall materials to ensure the long-term seepage safety of high core rockfill dams. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Artificial Intelligence in Hydraulic Engineering, 2nd Edition)

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