Shicheng Li

This doctoral project is based in the Division for Concrete Structures at KTH Royal Institute of Technology and sits within the third-cycle subject of Civil and Architectural Engineering. The research focuses on hydraulic design of hydropower structures, with particular attention to hydro dam bottom outlets. These outlets are critical for dam safety and operation because they are used for emergency lowering of reservoir water levels and may also be used when spillway overflow occurs. The project asks how bottom discharge behaves under air entrainment conditions and how that behaviour can be understood through both physical and numerical modelling. The goal is to support the proposal of cost-effective measures that help maintain normal function and long service life in upgraded or rebuilt dam facilities. The work is part of the national hydropower research programme SVC – Swedish Centre for Sustainable Hydropower. It is carried out with senior researchers at KTH and in interdisciplinary collaboration with international researchers and industry partners, placing the student in a research environment that combines academic expertise with practical hydropower applications. Supervision is proposed by Professor Anders Ansell, Assistant Professor Shicheng Li and PhD James Yang.