Integrated Geomatics Surveys to Support Hydraulic Studies

The study and monitoring of river processes have become particularly relevant as climate changes and exceptionally high flood events that ensue make the interactions between sediment transport, water flow interaction, and vegetation more evident and sometimes exacerbated. These characteristics require specific studies, integrating various methods and investigative techniques, and the close collaboration among scientific disciplines. The paper illustrates how 3D data from a geomatic survey can profitably support hydraulic studies by investigating, in particular, the morphology of the banks and the characterisation of the topographical elements that influence their roughness. The results obtained with direct measurements and data extracted from the 3D model on a sample stretch are compared; the study is then extended to an entire bend of the river, thus also considering the generally neglected aspects of curvature.