Deltalife 13

In the Delta Flume, Deltares is looking at whether hydraulic structures can cope with the high waves and the other powerful forces to which they are exposed. W ater defences provide protection but they can also block people's view. Take the houses behind a dike, for example. Could barriers with a window in them be a solution? Project manager Mark Klein Breteler of Deltares and his team tested this idea in the Delta Flume, the Deltares facility that can generate the largest artificial waves in the world. During the trial, the waves rolled towards the end of the flume, smashing up against the barrier with glass based on the design of the contractors. The first wave surged over the top of the barrier. Then the researchers reeled out the winch with a tree trunk weighing 800 kilogrammes. The next wave pounded the trunk against the glass plate: the glass bent but didn't break. That is good news but the scientists want to knowmore: laser lights and sensors recorded the exact strain and deformation of the 67-millimetre-thick glass. Deltares conducted the trials for the Strukton-Van den Herik consortium and the Limburg water authority. If they succeed, a number of people living in Neer, a village located behind the raised dike, will soon be able to enjoy a view of the Meuse river again. Does the level of protection match that of an 'ordinary' dike? 'Without a doubt,' is the answer from the project manager. 'The trial array is an exact copy of the actual situation. Thirty-two of these elements will soon be positioned in three locations in the 80-metre-long water defence adjoining the village. The land will be protected and the residents will still have a view of the Meuse.' A glass dike The Deltares Delta Flume (291 metres long, 5 metres wide, and 9.5 metres deep) Deltares, spring 2020 24 TestingGround