Department of Earth Sciences

Analog Modelling Laboratory

- Currently under construction -

Our new experimental facility is designed to simulate river landscapes and investigate their evolution in response to changing boundary conditions at exceptionally high spatial and temporal resolution—far beyond what is possible in natural systems.

The core of the facility is a ~6 × 1.6 m tiltable hydraulic flume, adjustable from horizontal to 15°, with a closed water-circulation system and an upstream sediment feeder. A key feature is a custom-built LiDAR scanner enabling high-resolution topobathymetric surveys during running experiments, with elevation data acquired in approximately 3 seconds. This allows us to capture landscape evolution without interrupting experiments and minimizing measurement-related side effects. Multiple side-mounted cameras provide complementary observations of flow and sediment dynamics.

The facility will enable controlled, high-resolution experiments on the processes governing the evolution of river landscapes.