PC Versatility in Modern Hydraulic Laboratory Data Acquisition Systems

by Douglas O. Houser, Univ of Iowa, Iowa City, United States,
Mark A. Wilson, Univ of Iowa, Iowa City, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Hydraulic Engineering

Abstract:

Recent and newly emerging developments in low cost (personal) computing have enabled engineers to implement sophisticated data collection and analysis techniques on computing platforms readily available to most individual investigators. Previously, these techniques were available only to well funded organizations large enough to support mini-computer-based data collection and analysis methodologies. Just as PC-based word processing and spreadsheet functions have revolutionized the way engineers accomplish these aspects of their jobs, PC-based data collection and analysis holds the promise of continuing to change the fundamental way in which an engineer performs his or her work. This paper describes the nature of PC-based data collection and analysis and how it differs from past practice; presents an overview of capabilities of current systems. The discussion highlights four specific key areas of hydraulic research, 1) physical quantities to be measured, 2) data collection hardware and software, 3) data analysis hardware and software, and 4) presentation of results.

Subject Headings: Data analysis | Data collection | Hydrologic data | Computers | Hydraulics | Computer analysis | Computer software

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