Future-proof infrastructure
With the rise in population, the challenge of housing, the transition towards sustainable energy, flood and drought risks, and the need for a more livable environment, mobility is undergoing significant changes. Infrastructure is increasingly being constructed in delta regions, both on land and in water. Deltares assists governments, managers, and the private sector in maintaining reliable, safe, and efficient transportation by road, rail, and water, even in the face of changing circumstances.
Addressing challenges in ports and waterways
Ports and waterways are facing significant challenges due to the energy transition, digitalisation, changes in goods flows, and climate change. These factors impact operations and maintenance, making it crucial to keep water transport reliable, safe, and efficient.
Deltares has in-depth systemic knowledge about hydrodynamics, morphology, geo-engineering and ecology. By combining our expertise, we offer tailored advice to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and resilience of ports, waterways, and supporting infrastructure. We help government authorities, consultancy firms, contractors, and investors with the cost-efficient, sustainable and future-resilient management and use of ports and waterways.
Our services include sedimentation and dredging strategies, nautical safety studies, and innovative solutions like ShoreTension. We also promote knowledge development through our software and unique experimental laboratory facilities, working closely with clients and knowledge partners to generate applied knowledge and innovations.
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Ensuring the future of rail transport
The growing number of passengers and freight transported by rail is pushing the limits of current infrastructure, making railroad safety and continuity crucial. To prevent future bottlenecks and maintain operational efficiency, significant track expansion and innovative solutions are needed. Infrastructure managers face challenges such as weak subsoil, settlement, and high groundwater levels, which are major causes of maintenance failures. Additionally, climate change and extreme weather events pose threats to railroads, impacting costs, availability, and reliability.
Deltares collaborates with governments, asset managers, rail infrastructure builders, and other stakeholders to provide research, advice, and applications for these infrastructure issues. By leveraging our global expertise, state-of-the-art research facilities, and sustainable collaborations, we contribute to a future-proof, reliable, and safe railroad network. Our projects, such as the RESET research program, aim to reduce failures and maintenance costs, ensuring sustainable and safer train transportation.
Challenges and solutions for underground infrastructure
Underground infrastructure, including (sewer) pipes, cables, basements, and tunnels, is crucial for essential services like gas, water, energy supply, transportation, and communication networks. However, increasing demand for sustainable energy and the impacts of climate change pose significant challenges. Issues such as soil pollution, leaks, and disruptions can arise from changes in soil and groundwater interaction, as well as accidents during construction or replacement.
At Deltares, we leverage our extensive knowledge and innovative technology to address these challenges. By collaborating with governments, network operators, and other stakeholders, we develop sustainable and reliable solutions. Our research and advice focus on making underground infrastructure safe and resilient, considering the effects of climate change to ensure the infrastructure of tomorrow is ready today.
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Managing risks in underground construction
Building below cities poses significant risks, including noise, vibrations, and subsidence, which can disrupt local communities. The public is increasingly critical of construction impacts, making it essential to predict and mitigate these disruptions. Effective communication and alternative scenarios can enhance acceptance by residents and stakeholders.
Deltares develops knowledge that lengthens the lifetimes, and improves the reliability, of tunnels, excavation pits and pile structures. We also work on quality controls and monitoring tools for structures built in the ground such as piles and D-walls. We advice about how to reduce local disruption and how to manage stakeholder expectations better.
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Future-proofing quay walls for urban and port sustainability
A quay wall is more than a wall in the water. Quay walls are essential for the safety and functioning of ports, cities, rivers and canals. They must withstand loads from water, soil, ships and transport. Many current quay walls are decades or even centuries old and are under pressure from corrosion, subsidence and climate change. To protect people and areas in the future, existing quay walls must continue to function as long as possible and new quay walls must be smart and future-proof.
At Deltares, we research ways to make quay walls more sustainable and future-proof. We work with universities, research institutes and market players to develop new technologies, materials and methodologies for the maintenance and construction of quay walls. Through a smart combination of inspection, monitoring and advanced modelling, we can assess whether a quay wall is still functioning well or needs reinforcement or replacement. This is how we contribute to smart innovations and solutions for a sustainable future.
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Ensuring the future of Dutch hydraulic infrastructure
The Netherlands faces significant challenges with its hydraulic infrastructure, which is crucial for managing water safety, distribution, and transport. Many structures, such as dikes, locks, and pumping stations, built in the 20th century, are now aging and require urgent replacement or renovation. Factors like climate change, material degradation, and evolving functional requirements necessitate a forward-looking approach to maintain the country's safety and liveability.
Deltares, in collaboration with various partners, provides essential research and technical support for the management, maintenance, and renewal of these structures. By leveraging scientific research, innovative technologies, and decades of experience. This proactive strategy ensures the resilience and longevity of the Dutch water system, safeguarding it for future generations.
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Sustainable coastal and river infrastructure
Infrastructural interventions along the coast affect the environment, locally but often much further away. Deltares maps the effects of this existing and new infrastructure such as breakwaters, dams and land reclamation so that project developers, port authorities, governments, consultants and contractors can make better choices for their design, construction and management and maintenance. Our in-depth knowledge of hydrodynamics, waves, sediment transport, morphology and ecology enables us to map the effects of existing and new infrastructure.
We help clients carry out integrated and rapid assessments at an early stage of the project to identify potential impacts, design optimisations and sustainable opportunities. With our open source software such as Delft3D and XBeach, we can model impacts at different scales; from local to regional, short- and long-term. Our expertise ensures that infrastructure is safe and stays in place, even in vulnerable areas prone to erosion and flooding.
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Nature-based Solutions for delta protection
We aim to keep the Netherlands the best protected liveable delta in the world, even after 2100. By building with nature, we make optimal use of natural processes to keep delta areas safe and livable. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are sustainable, circular and resilient and are internationally recognised and applied. These solutions combine natural and traditional methods to strengthen infrastructure while preserving and restoring nature.
Our approach is multidisciplinary and includes collaboration with ecologists, hydrologists, engineers and socio-economic experts. We develop knowledge for large-scale implementation of NbS through laboratory research, field experiments and data analysis. This integrated approach enables us to provide sustainable and cost-effective solutions to challenges such as flooding, drought and biodiversity loss. Together with our partners, we work towards a safe and resilient future for delta regions worldwide.
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Climate resilient roads
Climate change poses significant challenges to infrastructure, with extreme weather events such as heat waves, floods, and intense precipitation increasingly affecting roads, bridges, and tunnels. These conditions, coupled with aging infrastructure, demand continuous attention to maintain resilience and ensure safety and accessibility. The road network, vital to both society and the economy, is particularly vulnerable to these climate-induced stresses.
To address these challenges, substantial investments and strategic planning are essential. Deltares provides research and applications to support these efforts, drawing on extensive scientific studies to enhance infrastructure resilience. By focusing on future preparedness, the Netherlands can work towards a safer, more sustainable, and economically robust society.
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Resilient pipeline systems
The global demand for water and energy is rising, making reliable water transmission and distribution systems crucial. Operational inefficiencies can lead to suboptimal performance, increased downtime, and higher maintenance costs. Environmental concerns also play a major role, with potential adverse effects on ecosystems and water quality. Moreover, inefficiently designed systems require significant energy consumption, which in turn increases operational costs and environmental impact.
At Deltares, we specialise in providing smart hydraulic solutions for these essential infrastructures. Our services include system diagnostics, design reviews, hydraulic design expertise, customised solutions, and troubleshooting. We utilise advanced tools and facilities, such as our specialist software WANDA and experimental facilities, to ensure optimal performance and sustainability in water management. Our integrated approach ensures that each solution addresses immediate challenges and paves the way for a more efficient, resilient, and sustainable future in water system management.
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Ensuring coastal safety with innovative hydraulic structures
Coastal residents face significant risks from storm surges and extreme weather, necessitating robust hydraulic structures like storm surge barriers, jetties, and breakwaters. These structures must be both safe and cost-effective, enduring harsh conditions over time. Deltares develops knowledge and resources to test and optimise the design of these structures. We are commissioned to test the load and strength and ensure a risk-aware design that guarantees safety for coastal residents.
Using physical scale models and state-of-the-art facilities like the Delta Flume, we ensure that constructions meet safety standards and perform well under extreme conditions. Our multidisciplinary teams work with computer models, expert opinions, and high-quality tests to come up with suitable solutions. At Deltares, you can count on the most up-to-date knowledge to realise safe constructions at lower costs. As an institute, we work on maintaining our knowledge advantage and on spreading knowledge.
