IHE Delft’s Daniel Valero awarded Hilgard Prize

The Prize, instituted in 1939 as a result of an endowment left to the Society by Karl Emil Hilgard, is given to the author, or authors, of one paper each year that deals with water flow, and is judged to be of superior merit in terms of both subject matter and presentation.

Valero and his co-author, Daniel B. Bung, were very enthusiastic from the original idea inception. Their innovative method applies fluid mechanics – rather than just statistics – for data validation of Acoustic Doppler velocimetry measurements. Like Valero, Professor Bung has expertise in hydraulic engineering, leading the Hydraulic Engineering Section at the Aachen University of Applied Sciences (FH Aachen) in Germany.

Valero himself has developed physical and numerical modelling experience on multiphase flows. His main expertise is related to fluid mechanics of high head hydraulic structures, which has allowed him to contribute to solving real-world problems, including the ongoing efforts on Colombia’s Ituango Dam.

Valero seemed surprised to receive the award. Asked how he felt about joining the ranks of famous engineers, such as Hunter Rouse, who pushed fluid mechanics into the study hydraulics, and Wolfgang Rodi, who largely contributed to the numerical modelling of turbulent flows, Valero told us that “Sharing a place in that list is a huge honour, I feel very lucky”.

Another champion from the list is former IHE Delft Professor, Michael Abbott, one of the fathers of hydroinformatics, who recently passed away. Of Abbott, Valero says that “although I never met him, all that has been written about him recently shows he had a huge impact.”

Dr Daniel Valero Huerta holds a Civil Engineering degree (Master level) from the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (Spain), from where he also obtained a Master's Degree in Hydraulic Engineering and Environment. He obtained his PhD at the Universite de Liege (Belgium)

Professor Daniel B. Bung is Professor, Hydraulic Engineering Section, Aachen University of Applied Sciences (FH Aachen), Aachen, Germany.

Karl Emil Hilgard. Born in 1858, Hilgard was a Swiss Engineer who studied and worked at ETH in Zurich. He also worked for periods in Paris, London and the US, where he became involved in water resources infrastructure. Back in Zurich he was appointed ETH Professor of Hydraulic and Foundation Engineering, before establishing his own consultancy in 1906.

The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional association supporting 150,000 members across 177 countries.