Performance analysis of the large-scale particle image velocimetry method for measuring river flows

Webinar | May 2024

Speaker(s)

Mélanie Trudel
Université de Sherbrooke

Description

Information on flows is essential in water management and adaptation to climate change. The methods traditionally used to estimate flows have limitations, particularly for high flows, as they require contact with the river. Large-scale particle image velocimetry (LSPIV) can complement the measurement strategy to mitigate the shortcomings of current methods. The aim of this project is to analyze the performance of the LSPIV method, in terms of precision and uncertainty, in measuring river flows in Quebec.

Summary

Information on flows is essential in water management and adaptation to climate change. The methods traditionally used to estimate flows have limitations, particularly for high flows, as they require contact with the river. Large-scale particle image velocimetry (LSPIV) can complement the measurement strategy to mitigate the shortcomings of current methods. The aim of this project is to analyze the performance of the LSPIV method, in terms of precision and uncertainty, in measuring river flows in Quebec. A field campaign was carried out from 2020 to 2023 at eight sites in the Eastern Townships with different hydraulic and morphological conditions. Images were acquired using drones and a reference flow measurement was acquired using an acoustic Doppler current profiler or from a hydrometric station. Some rivers showed consistently good results, with deviations of less than 10% from the reference flow, while others did not seem to have conditions suitable for LSPIV. The presence of tracers is one of the main factors influencing results. Other sources of uncertainty, such as the position of the cross-section in the image, the precision of bathymetric data and water level measurements, the presence of wind or rain/snow, and the processing parameters also have an impact. This project makes it possible to establish the potential and limitations of the LSPIV method for flow measurements in Quebec. 

Learning objectives

  • Analyze the performance of the LSPIV method for flow measurements made in Quebec under different conditions

  • Identify the LSPIV method’s various sources of uncertainty

  • Provide recommendations on LSPIV data acquisition and processing

Speaker

Mélanie Trudel is an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Building Engineering at the University of Sherbrooke. She is an expert in the remote sensing of water resources and in hydraulic and hydrological modelling. Her research focuses mainly on the acquisition and integration of remote sensing data from satellites and drones for monitoring water resources. 

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