Type
EngD
Duration
2022-2024
Persons involved
ir. R. van der Meijden (EngD candidate)
dr. J.J. Warmink (Daily supervisor)
dr. ir. D.C.M. Augustijn (Promotor)
Funding of the project
The EngD is part of the FutureDikes project and is funded by the Dutch Flood Protection Program (HWBP).
Summary of the research
During the coming years, dike managers in the Netherlands face the task of reinforcing the dikes which are included in the Dutch Flood Protection Program (HWBP). These reinforcements take place in times of changing rules and protocols, increasing drought and reduced biodiversity on a worldwide scale. To address these challenges simultaneously, water managers are eager to apply biodiverse, species-rich grass covers at river dikes. Due to their deeper and more diverse root networks, these covers are hypothesized to be stronger and better drought-resistant than conventional grass-dominated covers.
However, many questions need to be answered before these biodiverse dike covers can be applied on a nationwide scale. The FutureDikes project aims to show that biodiverse covers can be sufficiently erosion-resistant, to formulate the required design parameters for implementation in design and assessment protocols, and to develop knowledge and protocols which allow their construction and maintenance.
The EngD is incorporated in the FutureDikes project, and focusses on the strength and erosion resistance of biodiverse dike covers. Based on large-scale wave overtopping simulations and smaller-scale sod pulling tests, strength characteristics in the form of probability distributions of the critical flow velocity (Uc), will be derived. The strength of biodiverse grass covers will be compared to conventional grass covers and validated using the large-scale wave overtopping tests. Finally, the applicability of the sod pulling method as a quick and easy tool to locally assess the strength of biodiverse covers will be analysed.
Keywords
Flood protection, River dike , biodiversity, dike cover erosion, wave overtopping
More information
Rens van der Meijden
Room Horst-Ring W214
Tel: +31 6 48411724
E-mail: r.vandermeijden@utwente.nl