Stability and Deformation Analysis
Provided analytical studies of stability and deformation, selection of soil properties, and evaluation of design
The Oosterschelde Project is a key part of Holland’s defense network against flooding from the North Sea. Without it, more than half of Holland would be underwater after a major North Sea storm. The original design was for a permanent dam to close off the 7-km wide Oosterschelde Bay which would turn it into a fresh water lake. Environmental studies indicated that this would have a severe impact on the breeding grounds for fish in the North Sea.
Geocomp provided consultation, analytical studies of stability and deformations, selection of soil properties, and evaluation of design for this project. This was one of the first projects in which finite element method (FEM) was used to determine permanent displacements resulting from cyclic loads. In addition to analyses, Geocomp led a research team to examine the behavior of the loose sands and silts under cyclic loading.