Digital Dikes: Enhancing Dike Safety with Advanced Modeling

The Soil MicroMechanics Chair of the CEM department is coordinating Digital Dikes, a new research project funded by an NWO Perspective grant.

Over the next 30 years, the Netherlands faces the massive task of reinforcing 2,000 kilometers of dikes, costing an estimated €15 billion, largely to combat Backward Erosion Piping (BEP). This happens when water seeping under a dike dislodges sand and undermines its stability. Current safety assessments rely on overly simplified models that miss these complex subsurface physics. Digital Dikes aims to fix this by building advanced, open-source 3D models. By feeding real-world monitoring data into these models, we can provide water authorities with much more accurate risk assessments, helping them deploy resources exactly where they are needed most.

The SMM Chair initiated the project together with Deltares and TU Delft, and now coordinates the programme. Prof. Vanessa Magnanimo developed the original vision, brought the (inter-)national consortium together to secure the NWO grant, and now serves as the overall Project Coordinator. Dr. Hongyang Cheng is leading Work Package 3, focusing on the core scientific challenge of upscaling BEP models from micro-level soil physics to macro-scale engineering applications. Finally, Dr. Floriana Anselmucci has taken on the role of Project Manager, keeping the project running smoothly by handling finances, compliance, and communication between our academic partners, NWO, and industrial stakeholders.

For more information visit our website: https://www.digital-dikes.nl/, or contact us via email: info@digital-dikes.nl