Monitoring as a tool for the assessment of wastewater quality dynamics

The wastewater system in the Netherlands comprises approximately 100,000 km of sewer pipes and more than 350 wastewater treatment plants (wwtp). The system collects and treats the majority of domestic and industrial wastewater. A small amount of untreated wastewater, however, is occasionally discharged to rivers and lakes, often resulting in a...

New Observational Tools and Datasources for Hydrology: Hydrological data Unlocked by Tinkering

Advances in scientific understanding follow a cyclic pattern where new observational techniques lead to novel theoretical insight. From novel theories, in turn, hypotheses are derived that cannot be tested using current observations and thus create a demand for even newer observational techniques. Hydrology has recently experienced a period of...

Hydrodynamic models in urban drainage application and calibration

On reducing piping uncertainties: A Bayesian decision approach

Dikes and levees play a crucial role in flood protection in deltaic areas such as the Netherlands. Internal erosion piping or under-seepage is a major cause of levee failures and a main contributor to the probability of failure of river levees due to the large (mostly geotechnical) uncertainties. The present thesis investigates how geotechnical...

Building response due to ground movements

On the Interaction between a Tunnel Boring Machine and the Surrounding Soil

The thesis investigates the mechanical equilibrium of a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) driving in soft soil. The interaction between the TBM-shield and the soil is also investigated. The analysis is based on monitoring data gathered during the construction of the Hubertus tunnel in The Hague, Netherlands. The monitoring activities during tunnel...

Negotiation and Monitoring in Open Environments

Large scale, distributed, digital environments offer vast potential. Within these environments, software systems will provide unprecedented support for daily life. Offering access to vast amounts of knowledge and resources, these systems will enable wider participation of society, at large. An example is the Smart Energy Grid that increases...

Universal Processor Architecture for Biomedical Implants: The SiMS Project

HEALTHCARE in the 21st century is changing rapidly. In advanced countries, in particular, healthcare is moving from a public to a more personalized nature. However, the costs of healthcare worldwide are increasing every year. Better use of technology can and should be used to get control of these costs. At the same time, implants have clearly...

Emissions of methane and nitrous oxide from full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plants

Since 1750, the year that commonly marks the start of the Industrial Revolution, the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have risen about 40 %, 150 % and 20 %, respectively, above the pre-industrial levels due to human activity (IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Working Group I...

Agglomeration in fluidized beds: Detection and counteraction

Fluidized beds comprise a quantity of solid particles that is suspended by an upward flowing gas. They are used for a variety of processes in the chemical industry, such as catalytic reactions, drying, coating and energy conversion. A major problem in industrial practice is the occurrence of unwanted agglomeration, i.e. solid particles adhering...

Nearshore Bathymetry derived from Video Imagery

Owing to the economic importance of seasonal fluctuations in beach width and the frequent implementation of local beach and shoreface nourishments, coastal managers and scientists increasingly demand coastal state information at smaller spatiotemporal scales. Advanced, automated video techniques provide the means to collect such high-resolution...

Coda-Wave Monitoring of Continuously Evolving Material Properties

We all monitor the world around us through waves. After about sixteen weeks in the womb, the ears and eyes of an infant child begin to deliver the first signals of light and sound waves to the brain. In fact, one could argue that consciousness itself is the feeling one receives when processing large amounts of wavefield data. Despite the...