Influence and Applicability of the Eurocode: For locks that are part of the Flood Defense System

Influence and Applicability of the Eurocode: For locks that are part of the Flood Defense System

Van Erp, T.M.J.

Jonkman, S.N. (mentor)
Molenaar, W.F. (mentor)
Vrouwenvelder, A.C.W.M. (mentor)
Adriaansens, D.H.M. (mentor)

Civil Engineering and Geosciences

Hydraulic Engineering

Hydraulic Structures

2013-07-22

Since the entrance of the Eurocode a lot of commotion emerged for the hydraulic engineer. The implementation of the Eurocode entailed a problem for the hydraulic structures that are part of the flood defense system. According the law, the locks that are part of the flood defense system should meet the requirements based on the most critical standard. Previously, for hydraulic structures the critical standard was Leidraad Kunstwerken (based on the Waterwet). This standard was more conservative than the NEN (based on the Woningwet). Since the NEN is replaced with the Eurocode, a higher safety class is added that is more conservative than the LK. So, hydraulic structures are forced by the law to be designed based on the Eurocode, while the Eurocode is actually addressed to buildings and bridges. So, the question arises: would it be correct to apply the Eurocode for designing locks that are part of the flood defense system. This research contributes to clarify the previous mentioned issue. It starts by exploring the issue in more detail, which eventually exposes the conflict between the Eurocode and LK. This conflict is restricted to the partial factor for water level difference, which comes down to the applicability of the reliability index (which indicates the degree of safety). Both the Eurocode as the LK prescribes a different reliability index. This difference in conception is researched in two ways. First, the influences on the structural design and the costs are analyzed. By means of a case study, two designs are made for the different standards (LK/NEN and Eurocode). This exposes the elements which are strongly affected. From there, it is searched to possible optimizations in the design in order to reduce the costs. The second perspective which is analyzed is the influence on the dike ring. By using the Eurocode for the structural design of the lock, the failure probability of the dike-ring will decrease. This change is analyzed and translated to a decrease in risk. Subsequently, the decrease is balanced with the required investment to upgrade the structural design. The use of the Eurocode can now be analyzed from an economic point of view. These two studies will finally conclude the influence and the applicability of the Eurocode for locks that are part of the flood defense system.

Eurocode
lock
Flood Defense System
safety
design

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:b0ca73e5-0dbd-40b6-9d54-65c6acaf870c

2013-08-01

Student theses

master thesis

(c) 2013 Van Erp, T.M.J.