Print Email Facebook Twitter A future proof Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrier Title A future proof Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrier Author Van der Aart, T. Contributor Jonkman, S.N. (mentor) Van der Toorn, A. (mentor) Braam, C.R. (mentor) Van der Ziel, F. (mentor) Faculty Civil Engineering and Geosciences Department Structural Engineering Programme Hydraulic Structures Date 2015-07-06 Abstract The worst flood of the 20th century happened at the night of January 31, 1953. After this disastrous flood the Dutch government came up with The Deltaworks, a large scale plan to protect the hinterland against future threats of high water. As part of the Deltaworks the Eastern Scheldt area was compartmentalized with the Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrier as imposing capstone of the compartmentalization. The barrier has greatly (and is still) contributed to the safety of the Netherlands, but it has also had a large impact on the Eastern Scheldt area. The Eastern Scheldt area is facing future (unanticipated) challenges like the sea level rise, the sand demand of the Eastern Scheldt, the scour holes near the shores of Schouwen-Duiveland and new safety standard for flood defenses. These challenges can be influenced by the barrier. Analyses of the challenges revealed that adjustments to the storm surge barrier, which are respond to the sand demand, are the most promising to effectuate. As a consequence of the compartmentalization of the Eastern Scheldt, the flow velocity in the tidal basin decreased with approximately 50 %. As a result, the net buildup of tidal flats stopped while the waves remained stable or even increased in height. The waves crumble the edges of the tidal flats causing the tidal flats to decrease in height. This phenomenon is called the ’sand demand’ of the Eastern Scheldt. To outweigh the Sand demand some adjustments to the moveable part of the Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrier are examined. A lowered sill beam alternative is developed to influence the tide during normal tidal conditions. In this alternative the effective cross sectional area of the Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrier will increase with approximately 6,200 m^2 (from 17,900 to 24,100 m^2). The measures in this alternative include the following adjustments: 1.) Lowering of 50 sill beams, 2.) Extension of 50 gates, 3.) Adjusting the sill construction. By enlarging the cross sectional area of the barrier the tidal volume through the barrier and the tidal flow velocity in the Eastern Scheldt enlarges. The governing force in shoal build up is the tidal flow velocity, therefore the enlargement of the tidal velocity in the Eastern Scheldt should result in an improvement of the sand demand problem. Instead of removing the whole sill beam it is chosen to lower the sill beams. From a safety point of view it is chosen to not lower the outer sill beams to reduce the possible negative effects on the shores of Schouwen and Noord-Beveland. The lowered sill beam alternative must outweigh the current situation. The current situation holds the maintaining of the current barrier and planned investment in preservation of the tidal flat by sand suppletion. The estimated cost for maintaining the current barrier in its original state is approximately 650 million euro (within a range of +/- 20 %). The further research into the alternative has shown that the cost of adjusting the sill beam of the barrier cost more than maintaining the barrier in its current state. Because of the higher costs and the uncertainty in the actual effect of the measures, it seems more effective and safer to maintain the barrier in its current state. In this regard a critical note should be placed at designing with a lifetime of 200 years. Because of the robustness of the design it is almost impossible to make, economically attractive, modifications to improve the functionality of the barrier. If designing with a lifetime of 200 year is still desirable, the structure should be designed in such a way that it is adaptive to future changes. Subject Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrierOosterscheldekeringZandhonger To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:cbfda74a-e08b-4026-a0d3-4db74a7a9a4a Embargo date 2015-07-07 Coordinates 51.624837, 3.701019 Part of collection Student theses Document type master thesis Rights (c) 2015 Van der Aart, T. Files PDF 150629_-r0-DEF-_MSc.Thesi ... r_Aart.pdf 14.59 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:cbfda74a-e08b-4026-a0d3-4db74a7a9a4a/datastream/OBJ/view