Department | Water Engineering and Management |
Tel. | +31 53 489 4198 |
Tel. secretary | +31 53 489 3546 |
p.willemsen@utwente.nl | |
Position | PhD-student |
Postal Address:
University of Twente
Faculty of Engineering Technology
Department of Water Engineering & Management
P.O. Box 217
7500 AE Enschede
Current Research
Uncertainty in long-term bio-geomorphological dynamics for vegetated foreshores. Vegetated foreshores live, i.e. their formation is controlled by vegetation dynamics and physical forces which significantly interact on a dynamic scale. This interdisciplinary field is labelled bio-geomorphology. Insight in the physical mechanisms behind landscape formation by bio-geomorphological interactions has substantially grown in the last decade. Nevertheless, the uncertainty in long-term (order of decades) dynamics of vegetated foreshores is not known so that reliable estimates of the contribution to safety of vegetated foreshores are impossible. Moreover, the opportunities to actively influence the long-term morphological development of vegetated foreshores via maintenance (e.g. grazing and cutting) are unknown, hampering application. In this sub-project of the BE SAFE programme (Building with Nature; BwN) we aim to quantify the uncertainty in morphological development for vegetated foreshores in a probabilistic way. We do this by explicitly accounting for the impact of four contrasting types of vegetation on both hydrodynamics and sediment dynamics. To set up the model we combine flume studies and field experiments executed in close collaboration with other sub-projects within the programme.
Employment record
15-10-2015 | PhD-candidate, University of Twente, Department of Water Engineering & Management, Uncertainty in long term bio-geomorphological dynamics for vegetated foreshores. |
Education
2013 – 2015 | MSc Water Engineering & Management, University of Twente. MSc thesis: Sensitivity of sediment trapping capacity of estuarine mangrove forests, at National University of Singapore and University of Twente. |
2012-2013 | Minor Geo Data and Spatial Information, Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente. |
2010-2013 | BSc Civil Engineering & Management, University of Twente. BSc thesis: Morphological changes of the Amelander Zeegat, at Deltares |
Publications
Peer-reviewed journal papers
- Willemsen, P.W.J.M., Horstman, E.M., Borsje, B.W., Fries, D.A., Dohmen-Janssen, C.M., 2016. Sensitivity of the sediment trapping capacity of an estuarine mangrove forest. Geomorphology, 273, pp 189-201. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2016.07.038
- Willemsen, P.W.J.M., Hulscher, S.J.M.H., Vermaas, T., 2015. Methods for analysing morphodynamics of tidal inlets. SURE! 1, pp. 1-4.
Conference proceedings
- Willemsen, P.W.J.M., Borsje, B.W., Vuik, V., Janssen, S.K.H., Bouma, T.J., Hulscher, S.J.M.H., 2016. Long-term biogeomorphological behavior of coupled bare intertidal flats and vegetated foreshores. NCK-days 2016, Ouddorp, The Netherlands.
- Willemsen, P.W.J.M., Vermaas, T., Hulscher, S.J.M.H., 2014. Morphological development of the Ameland inlet/Boschplaat in the Dutch Wadden Sea. NCK-Days 2014, Delft, The Netherlands, pp. 78.
- Willemsen, P.W.J.M., Vermaas, T., Hulscher, S.J.M.H., 2014. Morphological development of the Ameland inlet/Boschplaat in the Dutch Wadden Sea. NCK-Days 2014, Delft, The Netherlands, pp. 78.
Reports
MSc thesis | Sensitivity of sediment trapping capacity of estuarine mangrove forests (still confidential). |
BSc thesis | Morfologische veranderingen Amelander Zeegat: een methodische aanpak, Morphological changes of the Amelander Zeegat (in Dutch). |
Teaching experience
- University of Twente: 2015-2016 Seminar morphology (supervisor)