A cost optimal design of a sea dike: Using probabilistic methods and flexibility in the distribution of the total failure probability over the various failure mechanisms

A cost optimal design of a sea dike: Using probabilistic methods and flexibility in the distribution of the total failure probability over the various failure mechanisms

Van Loon, P.S.P.

Jonkman, S.N. (mentor)
Tonneijck, M.R. (mentor)
Van Ledden, M. (mentor)
Verhagen, H.J. (mentor)

Civil Engineering and Geosciences

Hydraulic Engineering

2014-11-14

During this research a method is developed for finding the cost optimal design of a sea dike when a probabilistic method is being applied and flexibility is allowed in the distribution of the total failure probability over the various failure mechanisms. A probabilistic model has been set up to calculate the cost optimal design for a sea dike while taking into account the failure mechanisms overtopping, armour layer stability and macro-stability of the inner slope and a number of input geometries that differ in crest height, outer slope angle, berm dimensions and stone size of the armour layer. The model has been evaluated with a case study and the results have been subject of a sensitivity analysis. Based on this case study it is concluded that when using a probabilistic approach and introducing more flexibility in the distribution of the total failure probability over the various failure mechanisms, a cost saving design may be found. This is achieved by changing the key dimensions of the dike section in such a way that trade-off of failure space between the various failure mechanisms occurs.

probabilistic
failure mechanism
sea dike

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:e8d86c94-e2fd-4a4e-bf48-eb4e07060c0a

2016-11-14

Student theses

master thesis

(c) 2014 Van Loon, P.S.P.