Many decisions that were made during project planning were based on default river engineering calculations, such as discharge and flood models.

For the Integrated River Engineering Project, however, interdisciplinary goal conception and planning activities have exceeded regular planning tasks since via donau also pursues innovative objectives in fields such as low water regulation. The project thus demands outstanding performance in terms of research and development.

More precisely, this relates to issues concerning the integration of granulometric river bed stabilisation or the creation of innovative groyne shapes to optimise low water regulation.

The Integrated River Engineering Project comprises the following research activities:

• Model testing
• 1:1 pilot testing
• Accompanying research done within the framework of project implementation

Model tests as performed at the Vienna University of Technology comprise a 1:10 reconstruction of a river section in the shape of a channel model. An area model at the scale of 1:331/3 followed.

In order to clarify engineering issues in a natural environment, 1:1 pilot testing will be carried out on a river section of almost 3 km near Bad Deutsch Altenburg (river km 1887.5 – 1884.5). The measures to be realised along this stretch comprise all measures planned within the framework of the Integrated River Engineering Project. All the findings that are obtained in the course of pilot testing will be recorded for preservation of evidence.

Throughout the planning phase for the Integrated River Engineering Project, a research programme was elaborated designed to scientifically accompany as well as analyse implementation measures and project impact.