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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Hydrodynamic models in urban drainage application and calibration