Qualifications & background
BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering (First Class), Polytechnic South West, 1990
Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, University of Plymouth, 1994
PhD Engineering Hydrology, University of Plymouth, 2010
Professional membership
CEng, MICE
Member of the British Hydrological Society
Roles on external bodies
Chair of the Plymouth City Club of the ICE
Vice-Chair of the ICE SW Regional Committee
Research interests
My research interests centre on computational rainfall-streamflow modelling, particularly the theoretical development of fractional-order systems models to represent the mixing effect of "old" and "new" water observed in streamflow chemistry. I have developed a generalised unit hydrograph (UH) theory that attempts to represent the mixing of water within the surface/subsurface storage component of the river catchment and overcomes the baseflow separation issue of the widely-used classical UH approach. Dooge’s 1959 classical general theory of the Instantaneous UH is found to be a special case of the new theory, and Chow and Kulandaiswamy’s 1971 general storage equation fits within it too. The new theory also corrects Nash’s 1960 interpretation of a cascade of a non-integer number of linear reservoirs.
I am interested in the application of evolutionary algorithms (e.g. genetic algorithms and genetic programming) for the identification and calibration of improved rainfall-streamflow models, including the use of slope-based fitness functions to measure the shape of streamflow time series. These functions have been successfully applied to interactive rainfall-runoff model calibration using the genetic algorithm-based model visualisation toolkit developed by Ian Packham (Lightwave Technologies Ltd, Ireland).
I am also interested in modelling the effects of agricultural land-use changes on river flows (with Dr Andrew Williams, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth).
UoP Research group membership
Civil Engineering
Structures/Conceptual Modelling
Grants & contracts
Developing professional skills though short term engineering placements - Royal Academy of Engineering, May 2011-March 2012, £10k
Publications
Borthwick, M.F., Rafiq, M.Y. and Williams, A.G. (2010). A Novel Application of a Fractional Order Lag and Route Model to Rainfall-Streamflow Modelling. BHS Third International Symposium, Newcastle, UK. 19-23 Jul.
Rigden, T. and Borthwick, M. (2008). Evolutionary Computing Approach to Instantaneous Unit Hydrograph Identification. Intelligent Computing in Engineering (ICE08), 15th International Workshop, European Group for Intelligent Computing in Engineering, Plymouth, UK.
Borthwick, M.F., Packham, I.S.J., and Rafiq, M.Y. (2008). Interactive visualization for evolutionary optimisation of conceptual rainfall-streamflow models. ASCE Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering. 22(1): 40-49.
Packham, I.S.J., Rafiq, M.Y., Borthwick, M.F. and Denham, S.L. (2005) Interactive visualisation for decision support and evaluation of robustness - in theory and in practice. Advanced Engineering Informatics. 19(4): 263-280.
Kizhisseri, A.S., Simmonds, D., Rafiq, Y. and Borthwick, M. (2005) An evolutionary computation approach to sediment transport modelling. CD05 5th International Conference on Coastal Dynamics, 4-8 April, Barcelona, Spain, ASCE.
Chadwick, A., Morfett, J. and Borthwick, M. (2004). Hydraulics in Civil and Environmental Engineering. 4th ed, E & F N Spon, London.
Williams, AG., Borthwick, M., Mtika, E., Ternan, JL., and Sullivan, A. (2004). The influence of changes in farming patterns on the runoff characteristics of the River Camel, Cornwall, UK. BHS International Conference, Hydrology Science and Practice for the 21st Century, London.
Packham I.S.J., Borthwick M.F., Rafiq M.Y. and Denham S.L. (2004). Improved Understanding of Rainfall Runoff Modelling using Interactive Visualisation and Evolutionary Computing. 11th International Workshop, European Group for Intelligent Computing in Engineering, Weimar, Germany
Packham I.S.J., Rafiq M.Y., Borthwick M.F. and Denham S.L. (2004). Interactive Visualisation for Decision Support and Evaluation of Robustness using Evolutionary Computing. 11th International Workshop, European Group for Intelligent Computing in Engineering, Weimar, Germany
Mtika, E., Williams, A. & Borthwick, M. (2003). Modelling the Influence of Changes in Agricultural Practice on Catchment Hydrology: De Lank Catchment Case Study, Report to the Environment Agency, Bodmin.
Conferences organised
Co-organiser for Intelligent Computing in Engineering (ICE08), 15th International Workshop, European Group for Intelligent Computing in Engineering, University of Plymouth, 2-4 July 2008.
