This research aims to improve the current knowledge and insight into the construction process, logistics, and construction costs associated with the offshore pumped storage hydropower plant. The main objective is to enhance the construction costs by optimizing the work method based on these sheltering effects. The diffraction and sheltering effects due to the caisson dam will be determined using the Goda diffraction tables. Additionally, the Levelised Cost of Storage (LCOS) will be used to assess the cost-effectiveness of this bulk energy storage technology and enables the comparison with alternatives, such as lithium-ion and hydrogen storage. In summary, this research addresses the promising potentials of work method optimization for offshore caisson projects regarding the local wave climate. For a case study in the North Sea, it has not only highlighted the relevance and importance of including wave sheltering. Moreover, with a LCOS of € 140-260/MWh it also shows the competitiveness of the offshore pumped storage hydropower concept once again. Alternative energy storage methods such as lithium-ion or hydrogen are in the range of € 200-400/MWh for lithium-ion and € 200-1900/MWh for hydrogen storage. Therefore, offshore pumped storage hydropower (PSH) can be a favorable solution enhancing the energy transition.

With the growing demand for expanding sustainable energy production in the Netherlands, investigating potential renewable energy sources has become imperative. Scheduled replacement projects for weirs along the river Meuse within the next decade present an excellent opportunity to assess the feasibility of integrating hydropower plants into these future weirs. This thesis explores the feasibility of implementing hydropower plants in future weirs along the river Meuse, addressing criteria such as hydraulic aspects, impact on vessel navigation, fish migration, and economic viability. To achieve this objective, an initial case study was conducted, focusing on the development of a design for the weir replacement at Grave. Subsequently, the broader applicability of the developed design was explored to investigate large-scale implementation in the river Meuse. At the outset of this study, no specific design existed for the future weir at Grave. Therefore, the initial research phase concentrated on creating a future weir design for the Grave location. Following this, the optimal method for integrating a hydropower plant into this future weir was explored, employing the basic engineering design cycle as applied in civil engineering. The Archimedean screw turbine technology was selected, leading to the development of multiple hydropower plant designs using this technology. Initially, their direct integration into the weir was explored. However, it was determined that placing more than two of these turbines directly within the weir was hydraulically unfeasible, posing risks to water safety. To overcome this challenge, three potential implementation concepts were developed: temporary removable turbines, a hydropower plant in the floodplain, and turbine integration into weir pillars. The optimal design for integrating a hydropower plant into the future weir complex at Grave was determined through a Multicriteria Analyses and the calculation of the internal rate of return for the various design variants. An essential finding is that economic feasibility depends on factors such as electricity prices and subsidies. The research suggests promising potential for hydropower implementation but underscores the need for further investigation. The design appears widely applicable to future weir projects along the river Meuse, which could potentially provide sustainable energy to approximately 32,000 households. Nevertheless, complexities necessitate additional research. It is crucial to emphasize that this thesis serves as an exploration rather than a definitive assessment of hydropower plant implementation in future river Meuse weirs. The study concludes by offering recommendations for further research.

This design report presents the outcomes of a multidisciplinary project undertaken by a team with diverse backgrounds in civil engineering. The project focuses on a preliminary design for a new marina in San Antonio Este, Argentina, with the purpose of serving as a recreational spot and a terminal for a nautical connection to San Antonio Oeste. Recreational activities include whale watching and swimming with sea lions. Sustainability is a key guiding principle, aiming to blend the marina with the natural environment and add value to the region. The report starts with an introduction outlining the project’s background, goals, and scope, followed by a detailed methodology for the design process. The area study section highlights the environmental and hydrometeorological conditions of the project location, emphasizing the challenges posed by a significant tidal range. It also discusses the choice of a water bus stop location in San Antonio Oeste and provides recommendations for further data collection and development. The design stage presents the chosen preliminary design, detailing the pier, floating pontoon, gangway, mooring field, and boat ramp. Finally, the need is noted for more precise data, environmental assessments, and geotechnical investigations to improve the design.

In the coming decades, more frequent and more extensive climate disasters such as coastal and river floods, droughts, extreme weather, and wildfires can be expected worldwide. Innovations will be required to face this grand challenge. The BRIGAID project developed a methodology consisting of a Test- and Implementation Framework and a set of practical tools. BRIGAIDs tools are offered to support efficient development and market introduction of promising innovations. The methodology in its present state still requires an extension to cover cybersecurity issues. It should be assessed what components are key in innovation projects and where and whether cybersecurity is relevant within the TIF. The proposed research will establish an assessment for the cybersecurity readiness of BRIGAID’s innovation projects. The goal here is to give the innovation projects an indication on their level of security and cybersecurity readiness. We selected GM4W and QoAir as representative innovation projects for a case study consisting of a cyber risk assessment. We find that key cyber components for innovation projects benefit the identification and mitigation of cyber threats. When assessing an innovation, the cyber components serve as a starting point of the assessment. We used SecRAM as the risk assessment method in this study and aimed to test whether the method applies to the risk assessment of innovation projects. We conclude that the SecRAM method serves its purpose and applies to the innovation projects in the context of this study. The risk assessments applied to different cases with contrasting structures and enabled us to identify and mitigate cyber threats effectively. The use of SecRAM also applied to the design of the TIF cybersecurity extension. The tool consists of questions that score the innovation projects based on confidentiality, integrity, and availability to raise concerns on the cybersecurity readiness. The acceptance and perceived usefulness of the tool need validation among innovators. Future research should extend the involvement of innovators and experts to the entire risk assessment phase.

In juli 2021 zijn grote delen van Limburg getroffen door hevige regenval en overstromingen. Ook delen van België en Duitsland overstroomden met zeer veel schade en verlies aan mensenlevens tot gevolg. Dit betrof een extreme en ongeëvenaarde gebeurtenis met enorme impact. Daarom is naar aanleiding van de overstromingen deze verkenning uitgevoerd om een eerste stap te maken om beschikbare informatie over deze gebeurtenis te verzamelen en analyseren. Het onderzoek is uitgevoerd door een breed consortium (TU Delft, Deltares, HKV Lijn in Water, VU Amsterdam, Universiteit Utrecht, KNMI, WUR, Erasmus MC en Universiteit Twente) in opdracht van het Expertise Netwerk Waterveiligheid (ENW). Een overstroming heeft effect op de hele maatschappij. Daarom zijn niet alleen hydrologische en civieltechnische onderwerpen beschouwd, maar ook de maatschappelijke gevolgen van overstromingen, de crisisrespons en de gezondheidseffecten. Contributors (in alphabetical order): Nathalie Asselman (Deltares), Hermjan Barneveld (HKV / Wageningen UR), Jules Beersma (KNMI), Eline Boelee (Deltares), Wouter Botzen (VU Amsterdam), Eefke Copper (TU Delft), Dim Coumou (KNMI), Karin de Bruijn (Deltares), Anniek de Jong (Deltares), Jurjen de Jong (Deltares), Hans de Moel (VU Amsterdam), Ferdinand Diermanse (Deltares), Astrid Fischer (Evides) , Gert-Jan Geerling (Deltares), Marie-Louise Geurts (WML), Rob Groenland (KNMI), Mark Hegnauer (Deltares), Bas Jonkman (TU Delft), Nicole Jungermann (KNMI), Frans Klijn (Deltares), Andre Koelewijn (Deltares), Matthijs Kok (HKV / TU Delft), Elco Koks (VU Amsterdam), Bas Kolen (HKV / TU Delft), Marion Koopmans (Erasmus MC), Laurens Leunge (Deltares), Hans Middelkoop (Utrecht University), Roelof Moll (TU Delft), Jaap Mos (Dunea), Sjoukje Philip (KNMI), Gerbert Pleijter (HKV), Joost Pol (HKV / TU Delft), Stephan Rikkert (TU Delft), Guus Rongen (TU Delft), Rinus Scheele (KNMI), Julius Schlumberger (TU Delft), Peter Siegmund (KNMI), Kymo Slager (Deltares), Frederiek Sperna Weiland (Deltares), Bart Strijker (HKV / TU Delft), Henk v.d. Brink (KNMI), Janko van Beek (Erasmus MC), Marion van den Bulk (TU Delft), Bart van den Hurk (Deltares), Tim van Emmerik (Wageningen UR), Kees van Ginkel (VU Amsterdam / Deltares), Mick van Haren (TU Delft), Margreet van Marle (Deltares), Malou van Schaijk (TU Delft), Dennis Wagenaar (Nanyang TU), Davide Wüthrich (TU Delft)@en

Due to an extraordinary precipitation event in July 2021, the Dutch government want to utilise the temporary flood barriers to reduce the impact caused by a flash flood event in the future. As a result, Water Board Limburg, Flood Proof Holland and Delft University of Technology made an agreement to conduct a physical experiment in Roermond on May 2023 to test the functionality of the temporary flood barriers in different spatial conditions. This report aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the temporary flood barriers and their performance in spatial variability before the experiment. To achieve this, available information on various barriers has been summarised to make a valid argument for the comparison of different barriers. The first part of this report provides an overview of worldwide available barriers with their corresponding physical concepts explained, while more detailed information is given on those tested in Flood Proof Holland. The report then presents a theoretical hypothesis based on the calculation of the resisting force of the barriers. The findings reveal that most of the tested barriers can withstand a water level of 50 cm on asphalt, concrete, sand, and grass. However, BoxBarrier and BoxWall(Waterschot) show exceptions when subpressure is taken into account. The report also includes a comprehensive outline of a physical experiment that will be conducted in May 2023, which provides a detailed description of the experiment, as well as preliminary assessment criteria. These criteria include logistics, failure mechanisms, spatial conditions, and additional requirements from the water board, and will be used to assess the performance of the temporary flood barriers. Additionally, an ideal monitoring plan utilising video camera, tracer fluid, and RBR-Diver has been proposed for the experiment. Lastly, the report features a discussion of a preliminary test conducted on February 15th 2023 in Flood Proof Holland, to evaluate the effectiveness of the designed monitoring approach. The test proved that the proposed monitoring plan was successful and emphasised the significance of proper equipment inspection, anchoring, and quality control of materials for the temporary flood barriers.

The combination of climate change and increased urbanization has resulted in cities with no historic flooding experience suddenly vulnerable to extreme flood events. Climate change increases the frequency and intensity of rainfalls, whereas urbanization decreases the total porous surface area, resulting in pluvial (rainwater) flooding. One such affected city is Valkenburg, located in South Limburg in the Netherlands. Valkenburg flooded on 14 July 2021 after experiencing an unusually heavy rainfall that deposited 146 mm of rain into the Geul Catchment, causing up to €600 million in damage. In such communities, flood early warning systems (FEWS) are emerging as possible non-structural solutions to minimizing costs of damage and loss of life from flooding. These systems are people-centered, end-to-end networks that predict floods before they are meant to occur to warn people living in vulnerable areas so that they can protect their homes, businesses, and themselves.  The FEWS network for the Geul uses forecasted precipitation data to predict discharge and water level conditions for the Geul. In the event that the predictions result in an abnormally high water level, warnings can be communicated to the necessary parties and to the population to allow for ample preparation. At the time of the July 2021 flood, the system was offline, with experts familiar with the network believing that it would not have worked even if it was online. This project aimed to analyze the existing FEWS from data collection to communication of warnings to locate existing issues and potential sources of weakness, thereby improving the system to effectively warn for future floods.  Each step of the FEWS was tested to find and strengthen potential weaknesses. The data inputs were analyzed and compared to the recorded precipitation that occurred in July 2021. Then, this data was inputted into the FEWS prediction models to understand how the system would have calculated the discharge and water level for that event. Both the July 2021 flood event as well as four non-flooding scenarios (summer storm, winter storm, dry season, wet season) were tested. The models were then used to create a flood map, and this flood map was inputted into the Damage and Casualties Model (SSM2017) to estimate how much in damage costs could be saved for the case with FEWS and the case without FEWS. Communication and evacuation were not extensively tested in this research project due to these components being determined by social and political frameworks.  When inputting the precipitation data associated with the July 2021 flood, it was found that the 1D model overestimated the water level to be 76.5 m+NAP, 6.5 m greater than the expected water level. Implementing a 2D grid reduced this value to 70 m+NAP, which matched the expected water level. It was also found that both HBV and SOBEK produce simulation results that consistently do not align with recorded data, suggesting a need to recalibrate the models to better reflect the behavior of the Geul River. Analyzing the recorded discharge and precipitation data found that using forecasted precipitation data gives Valkenburg enough time to communicate warnings and evacuate if necessary. Cost-benefit analysis that compared the economic impact of warning versus not warning revealed that warning and evacuation is more cost-effective than not not warning and evacuating, even in the case of a false alarm. An evacuation in the event of a false alarm can cost 1/10 of the difference in damage costs with and without evacuation. However, false alarms must still be avoided, as they erode trust in the warning system, thereby reducing its effectiveness in possible cost and loss of life reduction. Analysis of the expected costs of damage with and without the warning system revealed that the inclusion of the warning system has the potential to reduce the total expected damage by more than 50%.  The insights found in this project can be used to improve the FEWS for the Geul. Future research can be done to create a 2D or quasi-2D model that can predict the discharge and water levels of the Geul in a timely manner (no more than one-two hours’ simulation time). The 2D aspect is important to a warning system as the expected amount of water affects how the community prepares for the disaster. This project can contribute not only to the improvement of the FEWS for the Geul but also for the improvement or creation of FEWS for other river catchments in newly vulnerable cities.

In July 2021, an extraordinary precipitation led to severe flooding across Europe, particularly affecting South Limburg in the Netherlands, causing significant damage. In response, the Dutch government is seeking methods and new ways to mitigate the effects of future flash floods. Consequently, Waterschap Limburg (Limburg Water Board) initiated a physical experiment in Roermond in May 2023 to assess the effectiveness of movable flood protection barriers under various conditions. TU Delft, Flood Proof Holland, and AccessHub B.V. were involved in establishing a monitoring system that evaluated the stability and performance of these temporary flood barriers. Although the experiment yielded success and Waterschap Limburg profitably selected appropriate temporary flood barriers to address flooding for the 2023-2024 festive season from Storm Pia, there remain knowledge gaps concerning these barriers. Limited documentation has left some aspects unclear, such as the fundamental physical processes and mechanisms of failure detection. This study aims to provide a thorough understanding of how to monitor physical changes through image processing and identify failure mechanisms by applying the horizontal stability equation.