Author(s): Mark Cheetham

Linked Author(s): Mark Cheetham

Keywords: SNCF; Railway; Infrastructure Manager; Flood Risk; Resilience; Climate change

Abstract: The SNCF is the main railway Infrastructure Manager and Operator in France, responsible for the safe running of trains and maintaining over 30000km of line. The railway network is exposed to different natural hazards including rockfalls, land slips and flooding events. Approximately 60 flood events occur on the network each year, some of which can lead to problems for the security of train operations and/ or lengthy delays. Typical consequences of flooding can include inundated railway stations, loss of ballast which can result in track failure, mudflows and ultimately breaching of railway embankments. Advances in 1D and 2D computational hydraulic modelling allow Infrastructure managers to better understand the risks to the railway network associated with intense rainfall and flooding events (surface water, fluvial and sediment transport). Using different types of terrain data (DEM, land use etc. ), two dimensional hydraulic models allow the transformation of rainfall events into surface water flows. The use of this type of model is of particular interest in the analysis of the hydraulic characteristics of small, ungauged catchments (<1km2) which are often not considered during large scale flood mapping projects. The SNCF estimates that over 80000 such catchments are intercepted by the railway network in France. In addition, the use of hydraulic modelling allows the Infrastructure Manager to study different scenarios including the impact on flood risk resulting from historical land use changes in adjacent catchments and projecting potential impacts arising from climate change. Numerical hydraulic models allow the railway Infrastructure Manager to identify and prioritize sites at risk of flooding and better integrate flood risk into their operational management plans which will ultimately make the railway network more resilient to such events. This paper will highlight recent projects using two dimensional hydraulic models at the SNCF in the analysis, evaluation and eventual treatment of flood risk on the French railway network.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3850/978-90-833476-1-5_iahr40wc-p1200-cd

Year: 2023