Ana Maria da Silva PhD, P.Eng., FCSCE

My research projects help to address the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:

Dr. da Silva is a Civil Engineer specializing in Environmental Fluid Mechanics, Fluvial Hydraulics and River Engineering. Her research interests include mechanics of turbulent river flows, sediment transport and river morphodynamics. Her present research efforts include the development of analytical and numerical models for the simulation and prediction of river morphological response to natural or man-induced changes in flow regime and/or sediment load. Of particular interest are the medium- and long-term river bed and planform adjustments caused by direct river interventions (such as construction/removal of dams, barrages and weirs, construction or raising of levees, straightening, etc.), as well as those caused by land use changes at the catchment level. The development of the aforementioned models is being supported by an extensive experimental research, focusing on the mechanics of the bed and bank erosion/sedimentation in both, meandering and braiding rivers. The experimental research is being carried out in the new Queen's River and Estuarine Morphodynamics Research Facility, whose component is a 21m long, 7m wide, 0.6m deep basin. Dr. da Silva is also involved with the numerical modeling of local scour around hydraulic structures.

Education

• 1995 PhD Queen's University
• 1991 MASc Queen's University
• 1985 BASc University of Porto, Portugal

Professional Activity

• Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE): Associate Editor, Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, 2005 -
• American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE): Associate Editor, Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 2003 -
• International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research (IAHR): Member, Fluvial Hydraulics Section Committee, 2001 -; Review Board Member, Journal of Hydraulic Research, 2000 -
• Licensed Professional Engineer, Province of Ontario (P.Eng.)
• Registered Professional Engineer, Portugal

• Mechanical structure of river flows
• River bed- and plan-forms
• Initiation, time evolution and stability of meandering rivers
• River morphological response
• Design of stable channels
• River re-naturalization
• Local scour

Books

Yalin, M.S., da Silva, A.M.F. (2001): "Fluvial Processes". IAHR Monograph, IAHR, Delft, The Netherlands, 197 pages.

Yalin, M.S., da Silva, A.M.F. (2001): "Fluvial Processes - Solutions Manual". Supplement to the IAHR Monograph "Fluvial Processes", IAHR, Delft, The Netherlands, 83 pages. www.iahr.net/site/index.html

To order these publications, contact the IAHR Secretariat in Madrid: iahr@iahr.org

Articles in Books

Yalin, M.S., da Silva, A.M.F. (1994): "On the initiation of bed deformation of a meandering stream". in "Sediment Transport Mechanisms in Coastal Environments and Rivers, EUROMECH 310", M. Belorgey, R.D. Rajaona, J.F.A. Sleath eds., World Scientific Publishing, pp. 332-342.

Journal Publications

Neyshabouri, A.A.S., da Silva, A.M.F., Barron, R. (2003): "Numerical simulation of scour by a free falling jet". Journal of Hydraulic Research, IAHR, Vol. 41, No. 5, pp. 533-539.

Neyshabouri, A.A.S., Barron, R., da Silva, A.M.F. (2001): "Numerical simulation of scour by a wall jet". Water Engineering Research, Korea Water Resources Association, Vol. 2, No. 3, July, pp. 179-185.

da Silva, A.M.F., Bolisetti, T. (2000): "A method for the formulation of Reynolds number functions". Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, Vol. 27, No. 4, Aug., pp. 829-833.

Yalin, M.S., da Silva, A.M.F. (2000): "Computation of regime channels on thermodynamic basis". Journal of Hydraulic Research, IAHR, Vol. 38, No. 1, pp. 57-63.

Yalin, M.S., da Silva, A.M.F (1999): "Regime channels in cohesionless alluvium". Special Issue on River Morphology, Journal of Hydraulic Research, IAHR, Vol. 37, No. 6, pp. 725-742.

da Silva, A.M.F. (1999): "Friction factor of meandering flows". Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 125, No. 7, July, pp. 779-783.

Yalin, M.S., da Silva, A.M.F. (1997): "On the computation of equilibrium channels in cohesionless alluvium". Journal of Hydroscience and Hydraulic Engineering, Japan Society of Civil Engineers, JSCE, Vol. 15, No. 2, Dec., pp. 1-13.

da Silva, A.M.F., Yalin, M.S. (1997): "Laboratory measurements in sine-generated meandering channels". International Journal of Sediment Research, International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation, IRTCES, Vol. 12, No. 2, Aug., pp. 92-104.

Yalin, M.S., da Silva, A.M.F. (1992): "Horizontal turbulence and alternate bars". Journal of Hydroscience and Hydraulic Engineering, Japan Society of Civil Engineers, JSCE, Vol. 9, No. 2, Jan., pp. 47-58.

Invited Conference Papers

da Silva, A.M.F. (2004): "Current developments in understanding river morphology and their practical application". Proc. 3rd International Conference on Natural Channel Systems, Ottawa, Canada, Sept. 27-30, (10 p.) (CD-ROM)

da Silva, A.M.F. (2004): "Variation of meandering flow and erosion-deposition patterns with sinuosity". Invited Paper, Proc. 6th International Conference on Hydro-Science and Engineering, ICHE-2004, Brisbane, Australia, May 31-June 3, (10 p.) (CD-ROM).

da Silva, A.M.F., Yalin, M.S. (2002): "Stream morphology in the light of the second law and turbulence". Invited Paper, Special Symposium on River Sedimentation and Morphodynamic Processes", Proceedings of the International Conference on Hydro-Science and Engineering, ICHE-2002, Warsaw, Poland, Sept. 18-21.

da Silva, A.M.F. (1998): "An expression for the friction factor of meandering flows". Invited Paper, Proc. 3rdInternational Conference on Hydro-Science and Engineering, ICHE'98, Cottbus/Berlin, Aug. 31- Sept. 3, 8 pages (CD-ROM).

Yalin, M.S., da Silva, A.M.F. (1997): "On the determination of regime channels in cohesionless alluvium".Invited General Lecture, Proc. Conference on Management of Landscapes Disturbed by Channel Incision, Oxford, Mississippi, May 20-22, pp. 77-86.

Yalin, M.S., da Silva, A.M.F. (1995): "On the mechanics of flow in sine-generated meandering streams". Invited Paper, Proceedings of the International Conference on Hydro-Science and Engineering, ICHE'95, Beijing, March 22-26, pp. 1807-1814.

Yalin, M.S., da Silva, A.M.F. (1993): "Determination of bed topography of meandering streams". Invited Paper, Proceedings of the International Conference on Hydro-Science and Engineering, ICHE'93, Washington D.C., June 7-11, pp. 1301-1308.

Contributed Conference Papers

da Silva, A.M.F. (2003): "A computational method for the determination of regime channel characteristics". Proc. 16th Hydrotechnical Conference, Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE), October 22-24, Burlington, Canada (In Press).

da Silva, A.M.F., Zhang, Y. (2003): "Determination of friction factor over a bed covered by dunes". Proc. 16th Hydrotechnical Conference, Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE), October 22-24, Burlington, Canada (In Press).

da Silva, A.M.F., Habibullah, S.M. B. (2003): "Migration and expansion of meander loops: a simulation model". Proc. XXX IAHR Congress, Thessaloniki, Aug. 24-29 (In Press).

da Silva, A.M.F., Yalin, M.S., El-Tahawy, T., Tape, W.D. (2001): "Patterns of flow in meandering channels of varying sinuosity". Proc. XXIX IAHR Congress, Beijing, Sept. 17-21, pp. 251-257.

Yalin, M.S., da Silva. A.M.F. (2001): "Variational approach to the determination of meandering flows". Proc. XXIX IAHR Congress, Beijing, Sept. 17-21, 231-237.

da Silva. A.M.F., Tape, W.D., El-Tahawy, T. (2001): "Mechanics of turbulent flow in meandering channels of varying sinuosity: an experimental study". Proc. 29th Annual Conference of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering, CSCE, Victoria, May 30-June 2, 7 pages (CD-ROM).

Neyshabouri, A.A.S., Barron, R., da Silva, A.M.F. (2001): "Numerical prediction of scour by a free falling jet". Proc. 9th Annual Conference of the CFD Society of Canada, CFD 2001, Kitchener, Ontario, May 27-29, 5 pages (CD-ROM).

Neyshabouri, A.A.S., Barron, R., da Silva, A.M.F. (2000): "Numerical simulation of scour by a wall jet". Proc. 4th International Conference on Hydroscience and Engineering, ICHE-2000, Seoul, Korea, Sept. 26-29, 8 pages (CD-ROM).

da Silva, A.M.F., Ackert, S. (2000): "BHS-STABLE: A computer program for design of stable channels". Proc. 28th Annual Conference of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering, CSCE, London, June 7-10, 7 pages (CD-ROM).

da Silva, A.M.F., Zhang, Y. (1999): "On the steepness of dunes and determination of alluvial stream friction factor". Proc. XXVIII IAHR Congress, Graz, Austria, Aug. 22-27, 1999, 7 pages (CD-ROM).

Yalin, M.S., da Silva, A.M.F. (1999): "A method for computation of regime channel defining characteristics". Proc. XXVIII IAHR Congress, Graz, Austria, Aug. 22-27, 1999, 6 pages (CD-ROM).

da Silva, A.M.F. (1997): "A method for computation of regime channels". Proc. Conference on Management of Landscapes Disturbed by Channel Incision, Mississippi, May 20-22, pp. 581-586.

da Silva, A.M.F., Pollard, A. (1995): " Prediction of turbulent, meandering streams". CFD'95, Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the CFD Society of Canada, CFD'95, Banff, Alberta, June 25-27.

Yalin, M.S., da Silva, A.M.F. (1991): "Computer simulation of suspended load transport". Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Transport of Suspended Sediments and its Mathematical Modelling, Florence, Sept. 2-5, pp. 287-292.

Yalin, M.S., da Silva, A.M.F. (1991): "On the formation of alternate bars". Proceedings, EUROMECH 262 Colloquium on Sand Transport in Rivers, Estuaries and the Sea, R. Soulsby and R. Bettess eds., A.A. Balkema.

Other

da Silva, A.M.F.: "Review of River Mechanics by Pierre Y. Julien". Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 129, No. 11, pp. 923-924.

Yalin, M.S., da Silva, A.M.F. (2001): "Reply by the authors" to the discussion by I.A. Benson and E.M. Valentine of the paper "Computation of regime channel characteristics on a thermodynamic basis", Journal of Hydraulic Research, IAHR, Vol. 39, No. 3, pp. 333-335.

Research and Career Awards

2019               ASCE Karl Emil Hilgard Hydraulic Prize

2019               Best Paper Award, ASCE Journal of Hydraulic Engineering

2018               CSCE Fellow (inducted)

2013               Camille A. Dagenais Award (CSCE)

2010               Honourable Mention for the CSCE Thomas C. Keefer Medal for the paper entitled “On the
                        stable geometry of self-formed alluvial channels: theory and practical application”, published in the
                        Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, Vol. 36, No. 10, 2009, pp. 1667-1679

2005               14th IAHR Arthur Thomas Ippen Award

2000               Walter Light Queen’s National Scholar

1997               Department of the Army Performance Award, US Army Corps of Engineers, Waterways Experiment Station

Teaching Awards

2018-19          Civil Engineering Teaching Award, Queen’s University

2008-09          Golden Apple Award, Engineering Society, Queen’s University

2000-01          Civil Engineering Teaching Award, Queen’s University

1991                Best Teaching Assistant Award, Department of Civil Engineering, Queen’s University

Other

1994-95          Ontario Graduate Scholarship as International Student

1993-94          Ontario Graduate Scholarship as International Student

1992-93          R. Samuel McLaughlin Fellowship, Queen’s University

1991-92          Queen's Graduate Fellowship

1990-91          Dean’s Award, Queen's University

1989-90          Dean’s Award, Queen's University

Present Students

PhD

• Habib Ahmari, "Structure of river turbulence", 2004 -
• David Dai, "Bank erosion in alluvial streams", 2002 -
• Yibing Zhang, " Bed deformation in alluvial meanders", 2000 -

MASc

• Andrew Binns, "Time-evolution of bed topography in meandering streams", 2004 -
• Jan Bielenberg, "Dune behaviour under unsteady-state flow", 2004 -

Former Students

PhD

• El-Tahawy, "Patterns of flow and bed deformation in meandering streams: an experimental study", completed 2004.

MASc

• Vernon Brown, "Modification of Yalin and da Silva's regime method and related computational procedures", completed 2005.
• William Tape, "Experimental investigation of flow patterns in meandering channels of moderate sinuosity", completed 2001.
• Dipanneeta Banerjee, "Initiation of bed deformation in meandering channels: a theoretical and numerical study", completed 2000.
• Sarah Ackert, "A study of different methods for determination of regime channel geometry with application to streams in southwestern Ontario", completed 2000.
• Yibing Zhang, "Bed form geometry and friction factor of flow over a bed covered by dunes", completed 1999. (Currently Ph.D. candidate, Queen's University).

M.Sc. Research Exchange Students

• Jan Bielenberg, "Modification of Yalin and da Silva's regime method", completed 2003, Queen's University in cooperation with the Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg. (Currently M.Sc. candidate, Queen's University).
• Arzu Kilic, "Quantitative prediction of meandering and braiding of a stream in cohesionless alluvium", completed 2003, Queen's University in cooperation with the Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg
• Akcakaya, "Bed topography in alluvial meandering streams with varying sinuosity", completed 2003, Queen's University in cooperation with the Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg.