New living research lab opened on the Raversijde dike

What is the impact of severe storms on our coast? How powerful do waves hit sea dikes? To what extent does the wind transform the dunes? The Coastal Division of the Agency for Maritime and Coastal Services (MDK), the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) and the Hydraulics Engineering Laboratory (MOW Department) are investigating this in the Living Lab Raversijde.

Protect coast

In front of the existing sea dike, there is a test setup with dunes over a distance of 750 metres, a so-called dune for dike. A little further on the beach there is a concrete construction, a research dike to monitor the wave overtopping and force on the beach. Living Lab Raversijde is a living laboratory where researchers study how we can better protect our coast.

An artificial research dike was also built on the beach near Domein Raversijde. This concrete construction of twenty by twenty meters stands on the beach between low and high tide. For seven years, various parties will conduct research here into the strength and effects of waves on the dike.

The dike is divided into four sections that imitate the different forms of a sea dike and is surrounded by measuring instruments. The sensors on the dike measure how much wave overtopping the waves cause and how hard they crash into the seawall. The sensors on the three measuring poles in the intertidal area in front of the research dike also collect data.

Unique

This research dike is the only one of its kind in the world and offers unique opportunities for research. Engineers will use the data to design better coastal protection. The ultimate goal: to gain more insight into the impact of storms on infrastructures in order to make coastal protection even more efficient.

Living Lab Raversijde is a collaboration between the Coastal Division of the Agency for Maritime and Coastal Services, the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) and the Hydraulics Laboratory (MOW Department).