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Waveovertopping simulator tests a reinforced grass layer on a seadike
In May 2007 the
Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management will use a wave
overtopping simulator to test a traditional dike section with grass and a
dike section reinforced with a geotextiel that is placed beneath the grass
layer. In order to make the crest and the inner slope of the dike resistant to
wave overtopping, a consortium of Royal Haskoning and Infram came up with the idea to reinforece the grass
(Smart Grass Reinforcement). The tests will be taking place in Delfzijl, where
on May 2006 the test sections have been made.
Infram came up with the idea of the wave
overtopping simulator. Then a prototype was developed and tested by Infram,
together with four students Civil Engineering. Last june 23th the prototype was
demonstrated at the test location of the constructor, "Nijholt Staal &
Machinebouw" in Heerenveen.
The prototype is a full cross-section of the wave overtopping
simulator, but only 1 m wide, the actual wave overtopping-simulator will be 4 m
wide! It can be loaded then with 14.000 litres of water. The simulator will be
placed above the dike crest and can simulate the waves overtopping the dike
crest.The target of this project is to
determine if it is possible to protected dikes against wave overtopping. This
means that the crest and the inner slope of the dike must be able to resist wave
overtopping at extreme storm conditions. In the future the wave overtopping
simulator will be used to determine how long regular grass on a dike can resist
overtopping seawater.