Making cities and human settlements safe is an integral part of social and economic development. CEM research topics within this theme explore the intersection of safety across key sectors: mobility, transport of goods, energy and flood safety. It aims to identify vulnerabilities within these systems and develop strategies to enhance safety and sustainability.
Research
CEM research topics involves traffic safety analysis in urban areas, intelligent vehicles, safe transport of dangerous goods, the transportation infrastructure's capacity to withstand disruptions. Safety aspects of energy infrastructure developments are for example related to solar parks, hydrogen production and windturbines. We take a multi- and interdisciplinary perspective to improve safety. For example we develop Smart Connected Bikes which combines the capabilities of sensing, wireless technology and data science to make bicycle transportation more safe and comfortable. And we examine how local policy makers can integrate the concept of community wellbeing into its transport policies, including tradeoffs between economic, accessibility, road safety and other societal impacts. In projects such as Safety aspects of water infrastructure is also related to climate adaptation (resilient infrastructure and climate adaptation).
Education
In the BSc Civil Engineering, we teach for example the module Safety & Risk in Deltas, and in our MSc Civil Engineering & Management we teach courses related to safety, such as Traffic Safety and Infrastructure Asset Management.
Collaboration
Civil Engineering & Management is collaborating with several organisations in the safety domain such as the Dutch Institute for Public Safety (NIPV) and the SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research (SWOV).