PlasticFreeDanube - Macro plastic waste in and along the Danube (IWHW)

IWHW contributes to the project "PlasticFreeDanube" by research on mainly two research questions. The first one addresses the quantity of plastic passing hydropower plants (e.g. Freudenau). Therefore a methodology has to be developed for measuring macro plastic transport at large rivers. The other research question deals with 3D hydrodynamic numeric modelling of plastic accumulation zones in the Danube. A particle tracing model has to be developed accounting for the floating properties of macro plastic. The modelling will enable to hydraulically characterize accumulation zones. With this information, a reverse conclusion can be drawn and recommendations can be deduced, changing river engineering structures in a way that they "artificially" lead to accumulation zones. This may reduce collection efforts significantly in future.