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The only facility of its kind in North America, the Environmental Hydraulics Laboratory (LHE) simulates waves, tides, and strong currents to help researchers develop sustainable coastal management strategies for controlling erosion caused by climate change.
The lab boasts a large-scale multipurpose wave flume (120 m long, 5 m wide, and 5 m deep) to simulate high-amplitude waves and tsunamis caused by landslides and earthquakes.
Located in the Québec Metro High Tech Park, the wave flume is 120 m long, 5 m wide, and 5 m deep. It extends 4 m underground and 1 m above ground. Waves generated can reach the top of the flume walls and be produced in depths ranging from 2.5 to 3.5 m and wave periods of 3 to 10 seconds.
In addition to a mobile walkway, a gantry crane, and a series of equipment decks, the wave flume is also equipped with:
Scale-down wave flume
14 National Instrument CompactRIO systems, each with 256 analog inputs and 8 modules with sampling rates of 250 kHz. The modules also have 32 channels each. They are spaced 5 m apart along the flume, with the first one 45 m from the wave generator.
Current measurement
Turbidity measurement
Water level sensors
Topography and bathymetry
Cameras
70 strain gauges
Pressure sensors
Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) also has a smaller-scale wave flume with an electronically controlled wavemaker. The small flume is sometimes used to scale down experiments before they are carried out in the big flume. It has been designed to accommodate the same type of measurement devices as used in the main flume. Learn more
Wave flume in action
The Environmental Hydraulics Laboratory (LHE) offers research services to other universities, as well as to industry and government (see research applications).
Whave hitting rocks
The Environmental Hydraulics Laboratory (LHE) offers a wealth of potential applications. For example, the LHE can:
Wave generator
This $13.5 million facility was funded by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and the Government of Quebec under the Knowledge Infrastructure Program.
Damien Pham Van Bang
Professor et Scientific co-leader
Phone: 418-654-2590
Email: damien.pham_van_bang@ete.inrs.ca
Jacob Stolle
Professor et Scientific co-leader
Phone: 418-654-3115
Email: jacob.stolle@ete.inrs.ca
Dominik Lapierre
Research Officer
Phone: 418-654-3728
Email: dominik.lapierre@ete.inrs.ca
Raky Rezgui
Research Technician
Phone: 418-654-2684
Email: raky.rezgui@ete.inrs.ca
Carole Parent
Partnerships and Development Advisor
Phone: 418-654-2531
Email: carole.parent@ete.inrs.ca
Institut national de la recherche scientifique
Laboratories for Scientific and Technological Innovation in Environment LISTE)
Centre Eau Terre Environnement
Québec Metro High Tech Park
2605 blvd. du Parc-Technologique
Québec City, Quebec G1P 4S5
Canada