Hydraulics facilities

About hydraulics facilities

Our hydraulics facilities help researchers study how water flows and behaves. Designed to support both education and innovation, these state-of-the-art resources are used by researchers, students, and industry partners to explore real-world challenges in water systems and infrastructure.

We offer a range of specialised equipment, including:

  • 3 indoor flumes
  • an outdoor flume with 3 configurable cross sections
  • a wave tank for coastal and wave dynamics studies

Our facilities are located across Chilworth Science Park and the Boldrewood Innovation Campus, with the Chilworth flume hall featuring LaserMet systems for Class 4 Laser experimentation.

We use hands-on experiments and computer models to help build stronger infrastructure, create cleaner energy, and protect the environment.

These facilities support education and research. We welcome enquiries from industry.

Technical specification

REAL flume

  • dimensions: length 22m x width 1.8m x depth 1.1m
  • maximum flowrate: 1.4m3s-1
  • angle: -1.0 to 3.0°
  • sediment transport up to 9kgs-1

Location: Chilworth Engineering Centre

 

Armfield 10 metre (m) S6-MKIII flume

Armfield 10m S6-MKIII flume

  • dimensions: length 10 metres (m) x width 0.3m x depth 0.45m
  • maximum flowrate: 40 l3s-1
  • angle: 0 to 2.5°

Location: Chilworth Engineering Centre

 

Gunt HM 161 experimental flume

Boldrewood flume

  • dimensions: length 16m x width 0.6m x depth 0.8m
  • maximum flowrate: 125 l3s-1
  • angle: -0.75 to 2.1°
  • sediment transport capabilities

Location: Boldrewood Campus – B185

 

Armfield wave tank with HR Wallingford S60 wavemaker

Armfield wave tank with HR Wallingford S60 wavemaker

  • dimensions: length 10m x width 1m
  • depth: 0.2 to 0.7m
  • wave period: 0.67 to 3s
  • maximum wave height: 0.25m

Location: Chilworth Engineering Centre

 

Outdoor flume compound

The outdoor flume facility, unique in the UK, has 3 channels through which water can be recirculated:

Trapezoidal channel
  • dimensions: length 60m x width 1.5 to 2.5m x depth 0.5m
  • maximum flow rate 0.8 m3s-1

Outdoor flume

Trapezoidal channel of the large outdoor flume

Outdoor flume pumps

Outdoor flume pumps

Water mill on Outdoor flume

Outdoor flume water mill

Natural channel
  • length: 60m
  • can be modified to meet required cross-section and to mimic natural conditions
Small rectangular channel
  • dimensions: length 60m x width 0.5m x depth 0.5m
  • maximum flowrate: 0.15m3s-1

Location: Chilworth Engineering Centre – outdoor compound

 

Water flow measurement equipment

  • laser Doppler anemometry (LDA)
  • acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV)
  • particle image velocimetry (PIV)
     

Connect

Contact us

Please email us if you have any questions:

Technical information about the facility:
Phoebe Pellew, Experimental Officer (phoebe.pellew@soton.ac.uk)

Research opportunities:
Dr Gustavo De Almeida (g.deAlmeida@soton.ac.uk)

Industry enquiries:
Dr Gustavo De Almeida (g.deAlmeida@soton.ac.uk)
Dr Luke Myers (L.E.Myers@soton.ac.uk)

Lab facilities

B214 Engineering Building, Future Towns Innovation Hub, Southampton Science Park, Chilworth, SO167NP
We’re open Monday to Friday 09:00 to 17:00 UK time