Michael L. MacWilliams, Jr.
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Educational HistoryMichael completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Notre Dame where he received a
B.S. in Engineering and Environmental Science and a B.A. in English in
1997. He received his M.S. degree in Civil and Environmental
Engineering from Research InterestsMichael's research focuses on the application of
three-dimensional hydrodynamic models to complex river channels. For
this work he is using a semi-implicit numerical model for non-hydrostatic
free-surface flows on an unstructured grid (UnTRIM).
Several important enhancements necessary for river applications have
been added to the model and validated. As part of his dissertation
work, the model was applied to several field sites. Current Projects Lower Deer
Creek Flood Management Study Developed a detailed
hydrodynamic model for Lower Deer Creek using an unstructured
three-dimensional hydrodynamic model.
Implemented model enhancements including momentum inflow boundary
condition, radiation outflow boundary condition, and culvert routine to allow
for simulation of important features of the floodplain system. Developed an unstructured grid consisting
of seventy thousand triangular elements and more than two million
computational cells using detailed photogrammetric
data collected on the floodplain. Using the enhanced code and the model grid,
preliminary simulations were made of the 1997 flood on Lower Deer Creek. These simulations reproduced the
large-scale features of the 1997 flood event based on the DWR conceptual
model. These results demonstrate the
important features influencing flow on the Lower Deer Creek floodplain and
can be used to help guide the planning and implementation of future flood
management strategies. Evaluation
of Shear Stresses in Incised and Compound Channels Modeled flow velocities and
shear stresses in incised and restored channel using 1-D and 3-D models. Incised and restored channel geometries
were developed based on pre- and post-project conditions on Evaluation
of Velocity Reversal Hypothesis on Modeled 3-D flow and bed
shear stresses in pool-riffle sequences to evaluate the significance of the
velocity reversal hypothesis as a mechanism for maintaining pool-riffle
morphology. Assessed the capacity of section-averaged parameters to serve as
indicators of this mechanism. Used 3-D
modeling to evaluate the significance of secondary circulation and locally
high velocities and bed shear stresses in pool-riffle sequences. Publications and PresentationsMacWilliams, M. L., R. L.
Street, and P. K. Kitanidis, Modeling Floodplain
Flow on Lower Deer Creek, CA., River Flow 2004: Proceedings of the Second
International Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics, Greco, Carravetta,
& Della Morte (eds.), Vol. 2, 1429-1439, Balkema, 2004. Paper
Manuscript MacWilliams, M. L.,
Three-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation of river channels and floodplains,
Ph.D. Dissertation, MacWilliams, M. L., MacWilliams, M. L., MacWilliams,
M. L., Hydrodynamic Modeling and River
Restoration, presented at California Water and Environmental Modeling
Forum (formerly known as the Bay-Delta Modeling Forum), February 2002. MacWilliams,
M. L., Street, R. L., and Kitanidis, P.K., Modeling Shear Stresses in Incised and
Multi-Stage Channels, EOS Trans. AGU, 80(46), Fall Meet. Suppl., p. F448, 1999. MacWilliams,
Michael L. and Peter K. Kitanidis, A Geostatistical
Approach to the Inverse Problem for Transient Groundwater Flow, EOS Trans.
AGU, 79(45), Fall Meet. Suppl., p. F291, 1998. Contact InformationEnvironmental Fluid Mechanics Laboratory |
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