Dr. Bernard Laval
Dr. Bernard Laval, Associate Professor
Associate Professor
Location: CEME - Room 2036
Telephone: 604.822.2204
Facsimilie: 604.822.6901
Email: blaval@civil.ubc.ca
Pesonal Home Page
Biography:
Bernard joined the Civil Engineering Department as an Assistant Professor in June 2002. His background in Engineering Physics (University of British Columbia) provides him with a very versatile technological base. Bernard has a Masters in Physical Oceanography (McGill University) and a PhD in Environmental Engineering (University of Western Australia). During 1995-1998 Bernard worked as a research scientist developing Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (submersibles) for use as instrument platforms for the study of lakes and coastal waters.
Research Interests:
Bernard’s research combines field and 3D numerical modeling techniques to describe the spatial and temporal variations of physical processes and their impacts on transport in lakes and coastal waters. A description of physical processes such as transport, mixing, and circulation is crucial for an understanding of a variety of water quality issues. Examples include trapping of nutrients behind upstream reservoirs, nutrient supply to the photic zone supporting phytoplankton and fisheries food supply, effluent dispersal, and the path of contaminants (such as E. coli and Cryptosporidium) to drinking water supply intakes. In addition, changes to reservoir operation, to balance competing demands for water, require an understanding of the impact of these changes on circulation, nutrient pathways, and productivity.
Courses:
- CIVL 215 Fluid Mechanics I
- CIVL 416 Environmental Hydraulics
- CIVL 542 Physical Limnology
- CIVL 545 Methods in Environmental Fluid Mechanics
Recent Publications
Journals
- Doble, M J, A Forrest, P Wadhams, B Laval. (2009) Through-ice AUV deployment: Operational and technical experience from two seasons of Arctic fieldwork. Cold Regions Science and Technology. 56: 90-97.
- Lim, D S S, B Laval, G Slater, D Antoniades, A Forrest, W Pike, R Pieters, M Saffari, D Reid, D Schulze-Makuch, D Andersen, C P McKay. (2009) Limnological of Pavilion Lake, BC, Canada – Characterization of a microbialite forming environment. Fundamental and Applied Limnology. 173(4): 329-351.
- Forrest A, B Laval, R Pieters, D Lim. (2008) Seasonal thermal structure heterogeneity of a temperate lake during evening cooling. Limnology and Oceanography. 53(5 part 2): 2321-2332.
- Sentlinger, G I, S Hook, B Laval. (2008) Sub-pixel water temperature estimation from thermal-infrared imagery using vectorized lake features. Remote Sensing of Environment. 112: 1678-1688.
- Laval, B, J Morrison, D J Potts, E C Carmack, S Vagle, C James, F A McLaughlin, M Foreman. (2008) Wind-driven summertime upwelling in a fjord-type lake and its impact on downstream river condition: Quesnel Lake and River, BC, Canada. Journal of Great Lakes Research. 34:189-208.
- Pawlowicz, R, S A Baldwin, A Muttray, J Schmidtova, B Laval, G Lamont. (2007) Physical oceanography of Nitinat Lake, BC. Limnology and Oceanography. 52(3): 1002-1017.
- Hodges, B R, B Laval, B Wadzuk. (2006) Numerical error assessment and a temporal horizon for internal waves in a hydrostatic model. Ocean Modelling, 13(1): 44-64.
- Laval, B, J Imberger, A N Findikakis (2005) Dynamics of a Large Tropical Lake. in press Aquatic Sciences, June 2005.
- Laval, B, J Imberger, A N Findikakis. (2003) Mass Transport Between a Semi-Enclosed Basin and the Ocean: Lake Maracaibo Journal of Geophysical Research, 108(C7): 3234 doi:10.1029/2002JC001571
- Laval, B, J Imberger, B R Hodges. (2003) Modeling Circulation in Lakes: Spatial and Temporal Variability. Limnology and Oceanography. 48(3): 983-994.
- Laval, B, B R Hodges, J Imberger. (2003) Reducing Numerical Diffusion Effects with a Pycnocline Filter. ASCE Journal of Hydraulic Engineering. 129(3): 215-224.
- Laval, B, S L Cady, J C Pollack, C P McKay, J S Bird, J P Grotzinger, D C Ford, H R Bohm. (2000) Unique assemblage of modern freshwater microbialites, Pavilion Lake, British Columbia, Canada. Nature 407: 626-629.
- Laval, B, J S Bird, P D Helland. (2000) An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle for the Study of Small Lakes. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology 17(1): 69-76.
Conference Proceedings
- North, R and B Laval. (2005) Implications of non-uniform wind stress on
lake circulation. CSCE 17th Canadian Hydraulics Conference. Edmonton, Alberta.
August 17-19.
- Laval, B and R Stocker. (2004) Wind-driven under-ice circulation in partially
ice-covered lakes. ASCE-Engineering Mechanics 2004. Newark, DE, USA. June
13-16.
- James, C, B Laval, E Carmack and R Pieters. (2004) Analysis of water samples
for determining salinity from CTD measurements in Quesnel Lake, BC. ASCE-Engineering
Mechanics 2004. Newark, DE, USA. June 13-16.
- Potts, D, B Laval, J Morrison and E Carmark. (2004) Two-way flow over
a sill in Quesnel Lake, BC. ASCE-Engineering Mechanics 2004. Newark, DE,
USA. June 13-16.
- Lamont, G, B Laval, R Pawlowicz, R Pieters and G Lawrence. (2004) Physical
mechanisms leading to upwelling of anoxic bottom water in Nitinat Lake.
ASCE-Engineering Mechanics 2004. Newark, DE, USA. June 13-16.
- Horn, D A, B Laval, J Imberger and A N Findikakis. (2001) Field study
of physical processes in Lake Maracaibo. XXIX International Association
of Hydraulic Research Congress. Beijing, China. September 16-21.
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