Overview

Human settlements have grown near watercourses since ancient times. Water supply, irrigation, navigation, wastewater conveyance and city defense are some of the uses that were responsible for this choice. Even floods played an important role, favoring the soil fertilization. Man-made actions, however, especially in urban watersheds, significantly modify the natural water cycle, increasing the magnitude of floods and their potential damages. Consequently, flood damages are one of the most important issues to be dealt with in the present days. Several different studies show that floods are one of the most important natural hazards, with several losses, both in terms of lives and money. Particularly in urban areas, the amplification of floods may cause important economic losses and lead to critical social risks to the cities and their population, when inundation reaches the built environment. This situation is becoming more frequent each day. Recent history shows that urbanization is an inevitable trend and, today, the most part of the world population lives in cities.It is difficult, however, to adequately manage urban flood problems, because flood risk and flood costs are not easy to quantify. Traditionally, flood risk and flood cost assessments face difficulties due to the subjective nature of these evaluations and to the inexistence of standardized methodologies. This book tries to show different techniques and approaches to help in treating flood problems. Chapters 1 and 2 show simplified mathematical modeling of floods and results of multifunctional landscape flood control measures in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The remaining book chapters present remedial works against debris after floods in Venezuela and Measures for Mitigation of Flood areas in Japan. There are also presented studies related with Flood Risk Assessment and Management in Mediterranean Basins. The final chapter shows an interesting study related to the attitudes of residents in the Tokyo Bay area toward flood hazards.

Full Product Details

Author:   F.C.B. Mascarenhas
Publisher:   WIT Press
Imprint:   WIT Press
ISBN:  

9781845645601

ISBN 10:   184564560
Pages:   176
Publication Date:   31 May 2011
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us.

Table of Contents

Contents Chapter 1 Simplified models for flood flow simulation: Introduction; The scalar law of mass conservation; Momentum vector conservation law; Some generalities about systems governed by vector laws; One-dimensional dynamic equation; Simplified one-dimensional models for flood flow; Two-dimensional model for flood flow; Some gaps between one-dimensional dynamic models and reality; Models based on the finite-difference method; Pseudo-two-dimensional flood control model; Cell model for urban basins; Concluding remarks Chapter 2 Multifunctional landscapes for urban flood control: the case of Rio de Janeiro Introduction; Brief review of historical growth of the cities; Urbanisation process and urban flood problems; Flood control measures and urban solutions; Mathematical modelling as an aid to evaluate integrated design projects; Comparison of different multifunctional landscape approaches - case studies; Adding stormwater control features to urban revitalisation programs in Rio de Janeiro municipality; Use of soccer fields as complementary areas of a temporary storage pond in a poor community; Other possibilities of using multifunctional landscapes; Concluding remarks; References Chapter 3 Remedial works against debris flows after the year 2000 floods in the State of Vargas, Venezuela Background; Remarks on the Quebrada Guanape; Remarks on the Curucuti-1 Weir; New design criteria based on the Guanape and Curucuti creek's experience; The flood event of February 2005; Assessment of the works built in 2002 and 2003; The Anare creek; Analysis of the results; Conclusions and recommendations; Bibliography Chapter 4 Measures for mitigation of flood hazards in Japan Introduction; History of flood-control measures in Japan; Flood-hazard mitigation plan; Case studies; Concluding remarks; References Chapter 5 Flood risk assessment and management in France: the case of Mediterranean basins Characterization of flash flood hazard in Mediterranean basins; Heavy rainfall; The characteristics of flooded regions; The concentration of risk in coastal plains; A complex hydrography; The 'roof layout' of the lowlands; The vulnerability of the society faced with the flood risk; The increasing cost of floods; Fatalities due to floods; Creating a geo-referenced database; Longitudinal analysis of deaths due to flooding; Future developments; The recent increase in assets and stakes in flood prone zones; The spatio-temporal development of vulnerabilities: the migration of areas of vulnerability towards the plains; Increasing vulnerability; Increase in risks and global warming; Changes in flood management frameworks; The need for a changing framework in flood prevention; Reforms in the 2000s; Reducing the flood risk by watershed structures The key role of watershed structures; The flood management plans; An integrated approach to flood prevention; Success and difficulties in the fight against flooding; Prevention too focused on structural measures; Technical and methodological challenges; Legal and financial uncertainty; Political and psychological oppositions; Is reducing vulnerability the new 'frontier' for flood reduction?; The case of reducing building vulnerability; Concluding remarks; References Chapter 6 Measures and residents' attitudes at flooding in Tokyo lowland of Japan Introduction; Description of the 'Ara-River Drainage Canal' and its basin; Summary description of the attitude survey of residents living along the Ara-River Drainage Canal; Summary of the results of the attitude survey; Marginal counts from the attitude survey; Results of correlation among questions; Open-ended question; Cluster analysis of the results of the attitude survey; Discussion on flooding disaster prevention measures; Concluding remarks; References

Reviews

Author Information

Flavio Cesar. Borba Mascarenhas (D.Sc, Civil Engineering, UFRJ, Brazil) is an associate professor in the civil engineering program at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ-Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro), BRAZIL. He also serves as Director of the Associacao Brasileira de Recursos Hidricos (Brazilian Water Resources Association), Ad Hoc Consultant to the onselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (National Council for Scientific and Technological Science), Advisor to the Fundacao de Apoio Ao Ensino Ciencia e Tecnologia do Ms (Foundation to Support the Teaching of Science and Technology MS), Coordinator of Interinstitutional Master of Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, Ad Hoc Consultant to the Fundacao Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo a Pesq. State of Rio de Janeiro, State Project PRONEX of Ministry of Science and Technology, and Member of the Rio de Janeiro State Water Resources Council. He serves on the editorial boards of Water International, Journal of Water Resources, and International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning and serves as a reviewer for Ambi-Agua-An Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Science, Journal of Water Resources and Water International. His work has focused on Sanitary Engineering with emphasis on Water Resources, specifically involving Mathematical Modelling, Flood and Dam Break Model, and Hydrodynamic floods

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

No review item found!

Add your own review!

Countries Available

All regions