The scientific interests of the Department focus on studies related to hydrodynamics of water waves, their generation, propagation and transformation, as well as on problems of interaction of waves with engineering structures. Research activities are carried out by conducting field measurements at sea, laboratory investigations in a wave flume, and development of mathematical and numerical models of physical wave processes.
Main research topics include:
Members of the Department take part in international research projects funded by the European Union and associated countries (Norway). The Department collaborates with research institutions in China, Germany, UK, the Netherlands, Finland, Spain and Portugal.
The researchers of the Department publish scientific papers in renowned international journals including: Coastal Engineering, Ocean Engineering, Physics of Fluids, Journal of Hydro-Environment Research, Journal of Hydraulic Research, etc., on a regular basis. The publications also include scientific books published in the IBW PAN publishing house as well as in international publishing houses, like Springer.
The Department owns a unique hydraulic laboratory with a state-of-the-art wave-current flume. 64 m long and 0.6 m wide water tank enables conduction of basic research on water waves hydrodynamics, interaction of waves with currents, and wave-structure interactions. High measuring capabilities of the laboratory equipment make the physical modelling of coastal and ocean engineering structures efficient and accurate.
The commercial activities cover modelling and analysis of harbour water tranquillity, laboratory modelling of marine structures and prototype solutions to be applied in coastal and ocean engineering. The experience of the Department members follows from numerous projects realized for entities associated with marine economy and management, including maritime offices, port administrations and hydro-engineering design offices.