ECODIKE

ECODIKE

Ecological friendly sea dikes and revetments for coastal protection

Direction Dr.-Ing. habil. Nils Goseberg
Team Dr.-Ing. David Schürenkamp
Dr.-Ing. Agnieszka Strusinska-Correia
Funding Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Duration 01.10.2016 - 30.09.2019
Project Pratners Research Institute for Water and Environment (FWU) of University of Siegen
  Ludwig-Franzius-Institute for Hydraulic, Estuarine and Coastal Engineering (LuFI)
  Institute of River and Coastal Engineering of TU Hamburg-Harburg (TUHH)
  Institute for Environmental Research (IUF) of RWTH Aachen University
  Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock (UR)

1. Motivation and Objectives

ecodike_eng_workprogram
Fig. 1: Organization structure and work programme

Revetments and sea dikes along the German coastline are planned, designed and constructed according to the accepted requirements for a safe protection against storm surges. Ecological aspects are not or only insufficiently and inadequately considered in this process. Therefore, a research BMBF-project entitled "Ecological Friendly Coastal Dikes and Revetments for Coastal Protection (ECODIKE)" has been initiated to systematically consider and possibly enhance the ecosystem services of dikes and revetments, while preserving or possibly enhancing the existing safety standards. The ECODIKE project will be, in fact, a first step towards green coastal infrastructures and their application in the German coastal zone. Sea dikes were chosen as the first coastal infrastructure within this framework since they represent the most important coastal protection structure in Germany. Later on, the concept should be transferred and adapted to other coastal engineering infrastructures such as dunes, nourishments, groins, breakwaters, revetments, jetties and others.

To achieve these objectives, six subprojects (SP) are planned including the analysis of hydro- and morphodynamic processes (SP1) and their interaction with the ecosystem of coastal dikes (SP2), the development of ecological friendly dikes (SP3), the monitoring (SP4) and maintenance (SP5) of these structures and finally recommendations for practical applications (SP6) (Fig. 1). Leichtweiß-Institute for Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources (LWI) is the leader of sub-project 3 (SP3) named "ECODIKE-Structure". The main objective of SP3 is to develop and test innovative, nature-based and cost effective solution to enhance the safety of dikes against breaching. The prospective solution will contribute to developing design guidelines for green sea dikes and revetments in the framework of SP6 in which Leichtweiß-Institute for Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources (LWI) is involved as a partner.

2. Work Programme and Methodology

To achieve the objectives proposed for the sub-project 3 "ECODIKE-Structure", it is subdivided into four work packages (WPs) as follows:

  • WP3-1: Review/analysis of current knowledge and concepts

    The available concepts to enhance the safety of dikes against breaching and the different types of sea dikes and revetments as well as further solutions for safety enhancement will be systematically reviewed and analysed. A particular focus will be put on nature-based and multifunctional solutions which can adapt or easily be adapted to climate change. In this inventory and analysis, the most promising solutions for both existing and new sea dikes/revetments will be considered. Moreover, a clear distinction will be made between (i) concepts/solutions to reduce the wave loading of the dike and (ii) concepts/solutions to increase the resistance of the dike components and the entire dike against breaching.
  • WP3-2: Ecological/toxicological impact assessment

    The most promising solutions, tentatively selected in WP3-1 will be re-examined with respect to their likely ecological and toxicological relevance as sources of contaminants interacting with different flow processes, including the flow of sediment-laden water (e.g. waves and currents) as well as possible effects due to aeolian transport.
  • WP3-3: Development and laboratory testing new green sea dikes and revetment concepts

    Based on the results of the previous work packages, new concepts for green sea dikes/revetments will be developed. The most promising and selected concepts will be tested in small scale-model experiments to assess their hydraulic performance and structural integrity under wave and current attack.
  • WP3-4: Design guidelines for green sea dikes/revetments

    Based on the current design guidelines for conventional dikes and revetments, and on the results of other work packages, new design guidelines for green sea dikes and revetments will be developed including, among others, wave loads, wave run-up, wave overtopping and surge overflow as well as formulae for the stability against wave loads.

In addition to SP3, the LWI is involved in conducting SP6. In sub-project 6, and based on SPs 1 to 5, final recommendations will be prepared for design, operation, monitoring and maintenance of green coastal sea dikes and revetments, cost estimates for the construction, as well as monitoring and maintenance strategies for green and conventional sea dikes. Finally, the recommendations will be applied exemplarily for three selected hot spots (Wadden sea: Norddeich; the Island: Pellworm; Baltic sea: Fischland-Darss-Zingst) to ensure acceptance and usage in practice. Recommendations and first applications will be available in an online manual for green sea dikes.

Acknowledgement

The project, "Ecological friendly coastal dikes and Revetments for Coastal Protection (ECODIKE)", is Funded by Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

Project Partners

The project will be conducted in a collaboration with the Research Institute for Water and Environment (FWU) of University of Siegen, Ludwig-Franzius-Institute for Hydraulic, Estuarine and Coastal Engineering (LuFI), Institute for Environmental Research (IUF) of RWTH Aachen University, Institute of River and Coastal Engineering of TU Hamburg-Harburg (TUHH) as well as Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock (UR) and under the direction of the Institute of Hydraulic En­gineering and Water Resources Management of RWTH Aachen University.

References

Spalding, M.D.; Ruffo, S.; Lacambra, C.; Meliane, I.; Hale, L.Z.; Shepard, C.C.; Beck, M.W. (2014): The role of ecosystems in coastal protection: adapting to climate change and coastal hazards. Ocean and Coastal Management 90, pp. 50-57.

Sutton-Grier, A.E.; Wowk, K.; Bamford, H. (2015): Future of our coasts: the potential for natural and hybrid infrastructure to enhance the resilience of our coastal communities, economies and ecosystems. Environmental Science and Policy 51, pp. 137-148.

Vuik, V.; Jonkman, S.N.; Borsje, B.W.; Suzuki, T. (2016): Nature-based flood protection: the efficiency of vegetated foreshores for reducing wave loads on coastal dikes. Coastal Engineering 116, pp. 42-56.

van Loon-Steensma, J.M.; Schelfhout, H.A.; Vellinga, P. (2014): Green adaptation by innovative dike concepts along the Dutch Wadden Sea coast. Environmental Science and Policy 44, pp. 108-125.