Modelling Morphological Response of Large Tidal Inlet Systems to Sea Level Rise

This dissertation qualitatively investigates the morphodynamic response of a large inlet system to IPCC projected relative sea level rise (RSLR). Adopted numerical approach (Delft3D) used a highly schematised model domain analogous to the Ameland inlet in the Dutch Wadden Sea. Predicted inlet evolution indicated the typical channel/shoal pattern...

The resilience approach to climate adaptation applied for flood risk

This dissertation presents a potential way forward for adaptation to climate change, termed the resilience approach. This approach takes a dynamic perspective on adaptive processes and the effects of these processes at/across different spatio-temporal scales. Experience is provided with four methods that can be used to apply the resilience...

Delivering Integrated Flood Risk Management: Governance for collaboration, learning and adaptation

The frequency and consequences of extreme flood events have increased rapidly worldwide in recent decades and climate change and economic growth are likely to exacerbate this trend. Flood protection measures alone cannot accommodate the future frequencies and impacts of flooding. Integrated flood risk management (IFRM) considers a portfolio of...

Space-time variation of hydrological processes and water resources in Rwanda: Focus on the Migina catchment

This book presents the hydrological research carried out in the Migina catchment (260 km2), Southern Rwanda. The main objective of the research is to explore the hydrological trends and climate linkages for catchments in Rwanda (26,338 km2), and to contribute to the understanding of dominant hydrological process interactions. Different hydro...

Spatial planning and urban resilience in the context of flood risk: A comparative study of Kaohsiung, Tainan and Rotterdam

Spatial planning is increasingly being considered as an important mechanism in coping with flood risk due to climate change. One of the reasons for this is that engineering approaches are increasingly expensive and cannot provide complete certainty of protection against climate-related floods. The thesis examines whether and how spatial planning...

Fostering Climate Resilient Electricity Infrastructures

Heat waves, hurricanes, floods and windstorms - recent years have seen dramatic failures in electricity infrastructures sparked by short-term departures of environmental conditions from their norms. Driven by a changing climate, such deviations are anticipated to increase in severity and/or frequency over the coming decades. This will have...

Climate Change Impacts on River Floods: Uncertainty and Adaptation

The modelling frameworks, which include greenhouse gas emission scenarios, climate models, downscaling methods and hydrological models, are generally used to assess climate change impacts on river floods. In this research, the uncertainty associated with each component of the modelling framework is analysed with particular reference to climate...

Very long term development of the Dutch Inland Waterway Transport System: Policy analysis, transport projections, shipping scenarios, and a new perspective on economic growth and future discounting

This thesis addresses how a new method for the evaluation of policies with a very long term impact on the Dutch Inland Waterway Transport (IWT) system can be developed. It proposes an outline for a very long term transport model, prepares a number of very long term scenarios, and indicates that a different perspective on economic growth and...

Stratocumulus transitions in present-day and future climate

Clouds have a strong net cooling effect on our planet, as they reflect a large part of the incident solar radiation. To be able to make accurate forecasts of the global climate, cloudiness should therefore be correctly represented by climate models. Currently, however there are large differences in the forecasted temperature increase among...

Understanding Adaptive Capacity in Real Estate and the Built Environment: Climate Change and Extreme Weather in New York City

With climate change well underway, cities worldwide are struggling to develop and apply knowledge that will help advance social, environmental and economic adaptation to extreme weather and changing ecologies. Nowhere is this need more pressing than in the design, development and management of the built environment in New York City. In...

Policy Instruments to Improve Energy Performance of Existing Owner Occupied Dwellings

The aim of this thesis is to add knowledge to the role and impact of policy instruments in meeting energy performance ambition in the existing owner occupied housing stock. The focus was instruments available in the Netherlands in 2011 and 2012. These instruments represented the 'on the ground' efforts to meet climate change targets.

Enabling yeast replication in extreme cold and heat

Open questions are whether life can be enabled in uninhabitable environments, and whether there is a limit to howmuch one can tune the speed of proliferation. Answering such questions has broad implications. It may reveal whether we can live in unforeseen habitats, whether we can slow down aging, and whether there are limits to lifespan. In this...

Climate change induced uncertainties in future coastal ecosystem state

This thesis presents a doctoral research where statistical concepts and techniques are applied to problems at the interface of marine and atmospheric processes. The research was conducted at the Statistics group of the Delft Institute of Applied Mathematics (TU Delft) and the Marine and Coastal unit of Deltares. The main objective of the work is...

Precipitation extremes around the world: Unraveling historical extremes and future changes

Improved understanding of historical precipitation extremes is important to better explain their behavior, predict future occurrences, and inform planning and engineering design. The intensity, seasonality, and timing of these extremes have far-reaching consequences, and require a comprehensive analysis of both historical trends and projected...

Channel response of an engineered river to climate change and human intervention

Humans have intervened in rivers for centuries. River engineering measures have aimed at protecting populations against flooding, ensuring reliable and safe navigation, providing freshwater for drinking, domestic and industrial use, irrigation, and energy supply, and providing opportunities for recreation. All around the world, measures such as...

Experimental investigation of microscopic CO₂ injection for enhanced oil recovery in tight reservoirs

Oil exploitation of tight reservoirs has gained significant importance lately. Some researchers have defined tight reservoirs as those characterized with permeability lower than 0.1 mD. However, permeability is an absolute value, and tight reservoirs have complex pore systems that require a detailed geological and petrophysical rock...