A Systematic Approach to Improve Reliability of Storm Surge Barrier Closures

Coastal defenses must be upgraded to combat increasing flood risk due to climate change and other factors. Storm surge barriers, large movable hydraulic structures that close temporarily during storm surges to prevent coastal floods, play a vital role in protecting estuaries. Due to the complexity of their risk analyses, important improvements...

Developments in levee reliability and flood risk analysis in the Netherlands

This paper presents and overview of advances in flood risk and levee reliability analysis in the Netherlands. It is described how new safety standards – in the form of a target failure probability – have been derived on the basis of nationwide flood risk assessments which taken into account both economic risk and risk to life. The process for...

Developments in Levee Reliability and Flood Risk Analysis in the Netherlands

This paper presents and overview of advances in flood risk and levee reliability analysis in the Netherlands. It is described how new safety standards – in the form of a target failure probability – have been derived on the basis of nationwide flood risk assessments which taken into account both economic risk and risk to life. The process for...

Influence of load interdependencies of flood defences on probabilities and risks at the Bovenrijn/IJssel area, The Netherlands

In the Netherlands, flood risk analysis is usually carried out for a location, without considering potential flood defence failures in upstream areas. This may result in significant over- or underestimation of flood risks. The effect of upstream failures on failure probabilities and flood risks in other areas is called load interdependence of...

Effectiveness and reliability analysis of emergency measures for flood prevention

During flood events emergency measures are used to prevent breaches in flood defences. However, there is still limited insight in their reliability and effectiveness. The objective of this paper is to develop a method to determine the reliability and effectiveness of emergency measures for flood defences. The investigation is focused on measures...

A comparative study on methods for loss of life estimation: Applications to case studies in the United States

In the Netherlands, USA and other countries methods for the analysis of loss of life and evacuation associated with flooding are used in flood risk management. This paper compares the methods from the US and Netherlands in this field and considers both methodological principles as well as the outcomes for various case studies. Similarities and...

Storm Surge Barrier: Overview and Design Considerations

In this study an overview of existing and planned storm surge barriers in the world is provided. A systematic analysis relates functional requirements (e.g. navigation and tidal exchange) to the main barrier characteristics (e.g. gate type, dimensions). Furthermore, as the costs of barriers are an important issue in the planning, available cost...

Reconnaissance Level Studies on a Storm Surge Barrier for Flood Risk Reduction in the Houston-Galveston Bay

The Houston - Galveston area is at significant risk from hurricane induced storm surges. This paper summarizes ongoing studies on flood risk reduction for the region. Firstly, based on a simplified probabilistic hurricane surge model , the return periods of surges within the bay have been estimated. This model framework can be used to assess the...

Climate Change Adaptation in Tokyo Bay: The Case for a Storm Surge Barrier

Increases in typhoon intensity and sea level rise could pose significant challenges to coastal defences around Tokyo Bay. In order to analyse the extent of future problems the authors determined the increase storm surge that could result from an increase in typhoon intensity and sea level rise to this area around the turn of the 21st century....

Economic implications of multi-layer safety projects for flood protection

Recent experience of large-scale water disasters such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in 2011 has reminded mankind that disasters cannot be ruledout. Unprecedented low-probability events can happen even in the most well monitored areas, causing major social-economic disruption. Failing to prepare...

Risk approach to land reclamation: Feasibility of a polder terminal

New ports are mostly constructed on low lying coastal areas or shallow coastal waters. The quay wall and terminal yard are raised to a level well above mean sea level to assure flood safety. The resulting ‘convention-al terminal’ requires large volumes of fill material often dredged from the sea, which is costly. The terminal yard of a ‘polder...

Risk based design of land reclamation and the feasibility of the polder terminal

New ports are mostly constructed on low lying coastal areas or in shallow coastal waters. The quay wall and terminal yard are raised to a level well above mean sea level to assure flood safety. The resulting ‘conventional terminal’ requires large volumes of good quality fill material often dredged from the sea, which is costly. The alternative...

Advances in coastal disasters risk management: Lessons from the 2011 Tohoku tsunami

The earthquake and tsunami of March 2011 led to death and destruction in coastal areas in Japan. A seminar was held in June 2012 for Japanese and Dutch coastal researchers to discuss lessons for the management of the risks in coastal areas associated with tsunamis, typhoons and storm surges. The seminar has highlighted important practical and...

New safety standards for coastal flood defences in the Netherlands

The Dutch government is in the process of revising its flood safety policy. The current safety standards for flood defences in the Netherlands are largely based on the outcomes of cost-benefit analyses. Loss of life has not been considered separately in the choice for current standards. This article presents the results of a research project...