New standards call for innovation
In January 2017, the Dutch government established new safety standards for the dikes in the Netherlands. This has presented Rijkswaterstaat and the water boards with a significant challenge in improving the dikes. As a result, they are seeking faster and more cost-effective solutions. Mourik, based in Groot-Ammers, is carrying out an innovative reinforcement of this dike over a length of approximately 1 kilometer on behalf of the Rijnland Water Board.
Leanda Bogaards, environmental manager for the project on behalf of Mourik, proudly talks about this method in the video. Together with the Rijnland Water Board, Mourik won the Audience Award at the Water Innovation Award 2017 for this achievement.
New technique in dike reinforcement
Bert Everts, geotechnical expert at Mourik, explains in the video the use of the soil-mixing technique, which has never been used before in dike reinforcement. A major advantage of this method is that fewer raw materials need to be transported to the site. The technique utilizes the soil already present in the dike. The soil is mixed on-site with cement to create a panel within the ground, reinforcing the dike. While this method is commonly used for applications such as parking garages or sandy soils, it has never before been applied to clay and peat soils in dikes.
Less disruption and lower costs
In an area like Gouda, where many houses are located next to the dike and there is significant through traffic nearby, this technique provides an excellent solution. If the dike had been reinforced with sheet piles, much more space would have been required to carry out the work. Additionally, the intense vibrations could have posed a risk of cracks forming in nearby homes. With the soil-mixing method, disruption for both residents and traffic is kept to a minimum. According to Henk Weijers, project manager at the Rijnland Water Board, this, along with the reduced costs, was a key factor in the decision to choose this method.
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