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The journey from computational hydraulics to hydroinformatics is described through an overview that starts from the first applications of computer code to civil engineering problems, through the development of the method of characteristics - as a necessary step in the development of numerical methods - to the modern day, wide-spread application of fourth-generation modelling systems that are used to derive solutions to water-related, and particularly environmental problems. Mike Abbott's contributions to the scientific development of numerical methods and computational techniques are described. These contributions led to the publication of his seminal work Computational Hydraulics - Elements of the Theory of Free Surface Flows in 1979. At the same time, the authors of this chapter have all worked closely with Mike Abbott to translate his sometimes-esoteric writings into practical and commercially viable solutions. An important milestone in this journey was the establishment of the Computational Hydraulics Centre at the Danish Hydraulics Institute in 1970, which was a result of the recognition of the commercial importance of computational hydraulics and the need for further professionalization of the development of modelling systems. This was witnessed through the development of modelling systems like, for example, System21 (later MIKE 21) and the Système Hydrologique Européen (MIKE SHE). When tracing the development of computational hydraulics, Mike Abbott often referred to a number of generations of modelling methodologies and corresponding models, which has led to the current, fourth-generation modelling systems. Furthermore, as a natural progression of computational hydraulics, he discussed at length the developing social dimension of hydraulics and hydraulic modelling, which was seen as a first and necessary step towards hydroinformatics. This chapter concludes with an assessment of the extent to which the anticipated benefits of fourth-generation modelling may or may not have come to fruition and what this has meant in daily practice. These lessons learned are placed in the context of what this then means for future hydroinformatics applications. |
