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Incorporating residual strength regarding clay resistance in dike safety assessment : a case study of the Ketelmeerdijk

Jong, Jildert de (2024) Incorporating residual strength regarding clay resistance in dike safety assessment : a case study of the Ketelmeerdijk.

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Abstract:The Netherlands relies on flood defenses that are regularly assessed and reinforced. Currently, these assessments exclude the erosion resistance of the clay and core of dikes due to uncertainties. This thesis investigates why the dike's body strength is excluded from failure mechanism assessments of GEBU and ZST, explores how to incorporate clay erosion, and proposes a methodology for a safety assessment incorporating clay erosion. The Ketelmeerdijk, which failed on both GEBU and ZST in the latest assessment round, serves as case study. A Python model was developed to evaluate clay layer erosion under normative storm conditions using empirical formulas from large-scale tests in the Delta Flume. The formulation of the hydraulic conditions is crucial, whereas the output of these formulas is highly sensitive to a change in hydraulic input. Findings indicate that during a storm expected once every 10,000 years, Ketelmeerdijk's clay layer lacks sufficient residual strength, leading to significant erosion. Although residual strength proves to be insufficient to meet the latest dike safety assessment for the Ketelmeerdijk, the incorporation of clay erosion potentially reduces the probability of dike failure by over 125%, leading to more efficient dike designs and potentially lowering investment costs.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Clients:
Waterschap Zuiderzeeland, Lelystad, Netherlands
Faculty:ET: Engineering Technology
Subject:56 civil engineering
Programme:Civil Engineering and Management MSc (60026)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/101774
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