When building underground construction, nuisance to the surroundings – subsidence, damage to buildings and vibration – must be avoided as much as possible without resulting in costly solutions. read more

Constant level roads

Doubts about underground can have a great influence on the construction time and the building and maintenance costs of roads and railways in our country. There is much to be gained if we could predict and control the influence of the underground better. read more

Durable control of the railways

The Dutch railways have high maintenance costs. Much maintenance is necessary to retain the proper positioning of the rails. There is also a lot of wear and tear to the rails and the welded joints between the tracks. read more

Smart and durable management of concrete structures

A smart and durable management strategy is of great importance for the safety and functionality of concrete structures. Characteristic of such a strategy is that at any moment during the lifetime of the construction, it can be determined, quantitatively and objectively............ read more

Consequences of decisions on planning development

The development of infra-structural projects is dominated in the early planning phase by managerial and planning processes. Subjects such as durability, technical feasibility and risks often come into the picture quite late causing chances to be missed. read more

Top quality drinking water

The quality of the drinking water in the Netherlands is good and satisfies all the legal requirements. However, from time to time the water quality does not have the impeccable quality that the Water Boards strive for. read more

Durable development of the North Sea and the coastal zone

How can we make durable use of the North Sea and the coastal zone taking into account the results of the expected climate change, such as the rise in the sea level and a changed storm flood regime and with the existing and future zone claims? read more

Integrated urban water management

Urban areas suffer various water problems: the water quality is poor and there is too little or too much water. The latter in particular, flooding, is becoming an ever increasing occurrence. For solving these problems, and the realisation of a durable urban water system........read more

Innovative shallow construction

Up until now underground construction has been restricted to the Pleistocene soil stratum, deep sand. This layer is strong, but has the disadvantage that it is more than twenty metres below ground level in many places in the Netherlands. read more

Innovative drinking water purification

To keep the quality of our drinking water up to standard, we must continue to be innovative. The sources of our drinking water provision contain more and more undesired pollution such as hormones, pesticides and heavy metals. read more

Instruments for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive

All European countries must comply with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (KRW). The aim of the KRW is to obtain and preserve of a good ecological quality of the aquatic environment. read more

New perspective for foundations and excavation pits

In constructing excavation pits and applying pile foundations, huge improvements are possible. These are a better management of risks with excavation pits. For this reason we gather, together with market parties, practical experiences.......... read more

Maintenance strategy in boggy areas

The costs of the maintenance of roads and the underground infrastructure are high in areas with boggy peat ground. Together with municipal councils, public utilities, knowledge platforms and engineering agencies.......... read more

Risk management

The costs of failure in construction are high. These are estimated at 25% of the total construction costs. Good instruments for risk control are indispensable to force down these costs. read more

Protection from flooding

Safe inhabitation of the low-lying Netherlands requires good protection from the sea and from the rivers. To guarantee our safety now and in the future, we are researching the strength of the dykes and storm surge barriers............. read more

Water as an arranged principle

Spatial developments must be tuned to the water system in a better way than they are now. To help parties in this, we are developing models and methods in which the effects of these spatial choices involving the water system........... read more

Water quality and calamities

Flooding, long-lasting drought and calamities caused by man have a negative effect on the water quality, chemically as well as bacterially. The first two types of calamity are expected to occur with increasing regularity, because the changes to the climate lead to extreme.......... read more