Projects

The focus of this research line is to generate knowledge focused on innovative flood defences with their entire life cycle, as well as robust defences that are less vulnerable to overloading. Interaction between different structures and materials can contribute to more strength and structural robustness (e.g. sheet piles in dikes will lead to more slow and ductile failure). New material combinations and structures will be investigated, supported by experiments at various scales (numerical, lab and full scale), and design methods will be developed. Work packages will focus on reinforcement of earthen dikes with structural solutions such as sheet piles or diaphragm walls (C1), and hybrid dunes that combine structural elements and dunes (C2). C3 will investigate how ‘structural robustness’ can be created so that failures during overloading are prevented, e.g. by limiting the erodibility of clay layers on dikes and by different dike typologies. C4 focuses on the development of a framework for life cycle costs management of dikes and its use for dike construction, and contracting and risk management for innovative solutions. Finally, in C5 we will improve real-time fragility assessment of river dikes during flood conditions by combining sensor technologies (in dike, airborne and satellite) with strength models. Data analytics and AI will be coupled with traditional hydraulic and geotechnica models to enhance operational performance during extreme events.