Lauwersmeerdijk
Effective early warning system for levee stability
The Lauwersmeerdijk protects the province of Groningen in the Netherlands from flooding by the Waddenzee. An erosion channel in this sea rapidly removes sand at the toe of the levee. In 2010 the Lauwersmeerdijk did not pass a nationwide test of Levee Safety over a distance of 25 miles; the underwater slope had become too steep, endangering levee stability. To prevent faulting in the levee, Hansje Brinker monitors the Lauwersmeerdijk by order of the local water board Noorderzijlvest since 2010. Hansje Brinker provides an effective early warning system for slides in the levee.
Advantages early warning system Hansje Brinker:- Levee deformation of a large region captured in one clarifying overview
- Quick assessment of levee stability at an early stage of deformation
- Detailed monitoring leads to new understanding of levee failure mechanisms
- Reliable and accurate measurement technique
- Cost-effective method compared to traditional measurement techniques
Levee instability
A strong tidal current in the Waddenzee results in significant erosion of the toe of the Lauwersmeerdijk. The transportation of sand from the levee causes the underwater slope to become steeper over time. Eventually, this process can result in levee instability or even levee failure.
A strong tidal current results in significant erosion of the toe of the Lauwersmeerdijk; a process which results in levee instability over time. The dashed lines show the original levee slope and an early stage of erosion.
Early warning system
Hansje Brinker monitors the Lauwersmeerdijk on a regular basis. For accurate results, a large number of radar satellite images are combined that are acquired from 2004 to 2011. By following specific locations throughout the stack of imagery over time, deformation of these locations can be measured with great precision. This method provides Noorderzijlvest with an effectiveearly warning system to identify locations on the levee that are potentially hazardous.
Deformation measurements of the Lauwersmeerdijk. The scale bar shows the rate of deformation.
Due to the unmatched precision of Hansje Brinker’s measurement technique, one can point out specific locations where an inspector needs to take a closer look at the condition of the levee. An easy to read chart for each location shows the rate of deformation that is measured — important information that would be too expensive to gain by using traditional measurement techniques.
Integral part of business operations
The clarifying overview and detailed time series for specific locations that Hansje Brinker delivers on a regular basis help Noorderzijlvest to prioritize locations for levee inspection. In this way, only specific locations that require attention are evaluated in the field, which results in a significant gain of time and money. Therefore, Noorderzijlvest has incorporated the early warning system as an integral part of their business operations.
Detailed time series of a specific location on the levee. The dashed line shows the mean deformation over time.
Hansje Brinker can save your organization time and money, too. Interested how we can fit into your business operations? We are happy to show you the benefits with our quick scan. Please contact us for more information.