The Sand Engine is a new innovation in coastal protection, a mega feeder nourishment. This pilot project was constructed in 2011 along the Delfland coast, which is historically prone to erosion. Since its construction, the Sand Engine is intensively being monitored to track the morphological development.

The objective of this thesis is therefore to assess how the morphology of the Sand Engine is evolving over time and how this evolution contributes to the sediment budgets of the Delfland coast. In this thesis the first five years of morphological evolution of Sand Engine and its surroundings are investigated.

A data analysis is performed on bi-monthly bathymetry measurements, covering the first five years of morphodynamic evolution of the Sand Engine and the surrounding coastal cell. The high temporal and spatial resolution in both alongshore and cross-shore direction, provided the opportunity to perform research in great detail and precision.

Volume changes and sediment transports are successfully derived. Sediments are redistributed in both alongshore and cross-shore direction over the coastal cell. The accretive areas slowly extend alongshore while the erosive part of the Sand Engine remains in the same position. The Sand Engine has a positive net contribution to the sediment budget of 5.8km of coast after 5 years, which is an extension of 3.2km. 4.2Mm^3 of the initially nourished volume of 17.5Mm^3, has been redistributed after 5 years.

A Gaussian curve is fitted to several iso-lines of constant altitude to describe the plan-form adjustment of the Sand Engine at different altitudes. The Gaussian parameters are useful in accurately describing the spatio-temporal behaviour. Yet large differences in adjustment rates are found over the altitude. The decrease in cross-shore extent is fastest around 0m+NAP, and decreases to near zero at -8m+NAP.

Cross-shore profile behaviour is investigated by inspection of the temporal evolution of characteristic cross-sections in accretive and erosive locations along the Sand Engine. Erosive and accretive profiles behave considerably different. The profiles are adjusting rapidly and bed-level activity varies considerably over the altitude, with a maximum morphological activity in the intertidal zone, rapidly decreasing with increasing depth.

The results show that the Sand Engine spreads alongshore and feeds the adjacent coastal sections in the five years after construction. A mega feeder nourishment is therefore capable of supplying sediments to the adjacent coast.
The first year morphodynamic response was much stronger than in any subsequent year. The current results therefore give an improved view on the long-term development of the Sand Engine.

Van Oord is currently building the Gemini Wind farm in the North Sea. It is located 80km North of Schiermonnikoog. Before execution started some wave and current analysing buoys have been deployed to investigate the currents on the location of the wind farm for workability and insurance purposes. In this report the ADCP-current data will be analysed.
The major finding is that maximum tidal currents do not occur in winter but in summer, since the tidal currents are influenced more by stratification than by wind influences.

This report has been written as part of my internship at Van Oord DMC, in Rotterdam.

De psychrometrische constante wordt gebruikt om met behulp van een psychrometer de relatieve luchtvochtigheid vast te stellen. Onderzoek geeft aan dat deze psychrometrische constante niet constant is en dat voor lage windsnelheden de algemeen geaccepteerde formules niet zonder meer toepasbaar zijn. In dit onderzoek wordt vastgesteld wat het verband is tussen de waarde van de psychrometrische constante en de snelheid van langsstromende lucht aan de psychrometer. Hierdoor kunnen de bekende formuleringen om de relatieve luchtvochtigheid vast te stellen ook bij lage windsnelheden worden toegepast.

The psychrometric constant is used to determine the relative humidity of air with help of a psychrometer. Previous research indicated that the psychrometric constant is in fact not constant and widely accepted equations cannot be applied in low wind speed conditions. In this research the relation between the psychrometric constant's value and ambient wind speed is determined, so existing equations can be adapted to low wind speed conditions.

Numerieke modellen worden alsmaar belangrijker om voorspellingen te doen in de waterbouwkunde. Het is namelijk veel eenvoudiger en goedkoper om proeven numeriek te simuleren dan om deze uit te voeren in een laboratoriumopstelling. De numerieke modellen moeten echter wel worden gevalideerd aan de hand van metingen. In dit rapport wordt de bruikbaarheid van het model SWASH getest voor simulaties van golfoverslag op dijken met een keermuur. Hierin worden zowel monochromatische regelmatige golven als onregelmatige golven beschouwd.

Numerical models are incresingly important for predictions in Hydraulic Engineering. They are easier and cheaper to employ than physical scale models. However, these numerical models need to be validated to measurements. In this report the usability of the SWASH model is investigated for dikes with crown walls. Both monochromatic regular waves and irregular waves are taken into account.