Hydraulic Laboratory
Waterloopkundig Laboratorium
WL Delft Hydraulics
Established1927
Laboratory type
Hydraulic Engineering Research Laboratory
LocationDelft, The Netherlands

The Waterloopkundig Laboratorium (Hydraulic Research Laboratory) was an independent Dutch scientific institute specialising in hydraulics and hydraulic engineering. The laboratory was established in Delft from 1927, moving to a new location in the city in 1973. The institute later became known as WL | Delft Hydraulics. In 2008, the laboratory was incorporated into the international nonprofit Deltares institute.[1]

Purpose

The Hydraulic Laboratory was classified by the Dutch Government as a Groot Technologisch Instituut (GTI) (Major Technological Institute) and was tasked with acquiring, generating, and disseminating knowledge on hydraulics and hydraulic engineering.[2]

The laboratory conducted research into the causes of changes in the course of rivers, estuaries, and coasts, and the possible influences on them due to hydraulic engineering activities, along with a range of studies on topics such as dredging, wave action and coastal morphodynamics. The laboratory played a significant advisory role in the conception, design, and implementation of the Zuiderzee Works and the Delta Works,[3] along with several international projects.[4][5][6][7]

History

The laboratory was established in 1927 by Rijkswaterstaat, under the directorship of Professor ir. J.Th. Thijsse (1893-1984). It was initially located in the basement of the Civil Engineering Department building at Delft University of Technology.[8]

Thijsse's role on the Zuiderzee State Commission had introduced him to hydrodynamic model research, an innovative approach to understanding the dynamics of water. In 1927, both Rijkswaterstaat and Delft University of Technology began incorporating this research methodology, prompting the establishment of the laboratory.[5]

The impetus for the formation of the laboratory began in the 1920s, and lay in the design of the sluices for the Afsluitdijk, a significant project requiring extensive research and experimentation. The task was initially assigned to Professor Theodor Rehbock at the Flussbaulaboratorium (river construction laboratory) at the Technical University of Karlsruhe, a major institute in the field of hydraulic engineering research at the time. The results of this investigation were documented in a report which was published in 1931.[9]

This report was subject to review by Thijsse, who advised the Dutch authorities on the need for additional research of this type, not just for the Zuiderzee Works, but also for other projects across the Netherlands. This recommendation precipitated the decision to establish a laboratory similar to that in Karlsruhe, to serve the Netherlands. Thijsse spearheaded the initial research at the newly formed laboratory and documented the findings in a follow-up report to Rehbock's original study.[10]

To facilitate third-party contract research, such as work for Rijkswaterstaat and international schemes, it was decided that the laboratory would operate independently from the Delft University of Technology, and be established as a financially autonomous foundation, with its board appointed from university staff, major consultants, and representatives from Rijkswaterstaat.[2][11]

Experiments into the behaviour of irregular waves had been undertaken in the Netherlands since 1920, with initial experiments on irregular wave behaviour in wind tunnels. This pioneering research, including investigations into wave run-up, led to the construction of a specialised wind wave flume at the laboratory in 1933. Unprecedented at the time of construction, the flume boasted dimensions of 25 metres in length, 4 metres in width, and a maximum water depth of 0.45 metres.[12]

Subsequently, in order to better satisfy the necessary conditions for wave height and period, the flume was extended to 50 metres in length, and fitted with a monochromatic wave generator. These enhancements enabled a wider variety of research projects, including studies on wave overtopping, the stability of rubble-mound breakwaters, wave impact forces, and the stability of floating structures. By the time of World War II, research had extended into model investigations of wave generation, with outcomes corroborating prototype data collected by Harald Sverdrup and Walter Munk.[13][14]

In 1969, new wave flumes with typical widths of 8 metres were installed in the laboratory in order to permit modelling and testing of breakwaters and dikes whilst simulating arbitrary angles of wave attack. The previously available flume widths of 4 metres had proved too small for this purpose, and the new flumes therefore provided the laboratory with the ability to model and test the performance of significant coastal and river engineering structures.[15][16]

In 1973, the laboratory moved from its location in the centre of Delft to a new location at the most southern end of the Delft Technological University campus, becoming known locally as the Thijsse-erf (Thijsse yard).[17][18]

Throughout its history, the laboratory undertook national and international research on numerous civil and hydraulic engineering subjects including dredging technology,[19] density issues, pumps, and detailed structural studies on locks and weirs.[20][21] International projects included the Belgian Port of Zeebrugge (1933–36), the cut-off of the Abidjan lagoon (1933–46),[4] and flood prevention works in Nottingham (1946–51).[11][22][23]

The Waterloopkundig Laboratorium "de Voorst"

From 1951 to 1996, a second location known as the Waterloopkundig Laboratorium de Voorst (WLV) (Hydraulic Laboratory "de Voorst") was located in Noordoostpolder, between Marknesse, Kraggenburg, and Vollenhove. The establishment of a second laboratory at de Voorst was prompted by the lack of space in Delft for large outdoor models. Utilising land on the outskirts of Delft was not feasible due to the damp peat soil, which made it difficult to construct large models without soil settlement. In an environment where water levels are measured on a millimetric scale, even minute settlements were unacceptable.[24][2]

Additional benefits of the de Voorst location included its location within a low-lying polder, eliminating the need for an additional pumping system, and its availability due to the heavy boulder clay composition of the soil making it unsuitable for farming. Since the land was government-owned, no financial acquisition was required.[25] From 1951, the Waterloopkundig Laboratorium therefore operated two facilities: an indoor modelling laboratory in Delft, and an outdoor model facility in De Voorst. In the 1970s, indoor laboratory facilities were added to the de Voorst location.[26]

A significant advantage of the de Voorst location was the ability to construct large-scale models of estuaries and ports, enabling model tests to predict the influence of hydraulic works on the watercourses, making use of the large differences in water levels from the surrounding surface water. These models were pivotal during the planning and construction phase of the Delta Works in Zeeland, and also allowed research works to be undertaken for international projects such as the reconstruction of the Port of Lagos.[4][27]

Other international projects where research was carried out at the laboratory to inform the design and construction included the construction of the Eider Barrage, and works at the mouth of the Volta River in Ghana.[4][6]

The scale of the physical models in the laboratory were often substantial, with many being large enough to permit model ships which necessitated pilotage by helmsmen, an example being the model created for Jo Thijsse's design for the junction of the Amsterdam–Rhine Canal and the Lek, a large structure which came to be known as De Eieren van Thijsse (Thijsse's eggs).[28]

From the 1980s, computer-assisted mathematical modelling began to be useful in mapping potential water flows, reducing the need for very large-scale physical water models.[29] Consequently, the decision was made in 1995 to concentrate activities at the Delft location and close the de Voorst facilities. The site was purchased by Natuurmonumenten and renamed the Waterloopbos, where visitors can view the models and associated infrastructure via a walking route through the woods.[30][31]

Consolidation into Deltares

By 2008, the Delft laboratory had become known by the English name WL | Delft Hydraulics, and in an effort to consolidate knowledge with similar institutes, it was merged with other research institutes and sections of Rijkswaterstaat to form the Deltares Institute.[32] The laboratory continues to operate today as part of Deltares.[2]

Directors and notable figures

The following people were directors of the laboratory from its foundation in 1927 until it merged with Deltares in 2008.[2]

Directors of the Waterloopkundig Laboratorium, 1927 - 2008
Year from Year to Name
1927 1960 ir. Johannes Theodoor Thijsse
1960 1971 ir. Harold Jan Schoemaker
1971 1986 ir. Jacob Egbert Prins
1986 1996 ir. Henk Jan Overbeek
1997 2007 ir. Jan Groen
2008 2008 Merged with Deltares

The following personnel served as Heads of the de Voorst facility.

Heads of the Waterloopkundig Laboratorium "de Voorst"
Year from Year to Name
1960 1968 ir. Abe Hoekstra
1968 1990 ir. Joannes Jacobus Vinjé

Significant engineering figures who undertook research or served in senior positions with the Waterloopkundig Laboratorium included Eco Bijker (various roles including head of department, head of the de Voorst Laboratory, and deputy director),[33][34] Frank Spaargaren (interim general director, 1995–1997),[35][36] and PJ Wemelsfelder, who undertook research at the facility and served as head of the Hydrometric Department.[37]

The Waterbouwkundig Laboratorium (Belgium)

A similar institution known as the Waterbouwkundig Laboratorium (Hydraulic Engineering Research Laboratory) is located in Borgerhout, Belgium. It was established in 1933.[38]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "About us | Deltares". www.deltares.nl. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Steenhuis, M.; Voerman, L.; Noyens, M.; Emmerik, J. (2015). Waterloopkundig Laboratorium : cultuurhistorische duiding, ruimtelijke analyse en essentiële principes [Hydraulic Engineering Laboratory: cultural-historical interpretation, spatial analysis, and essential principles] (PDF) (in Dutch). nl: SteenhuisMeurs. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  3. ↑ Ferguson, H.A. (1969). "The use of model tests for the design of maritime structures, with special regard to wave action". Proceedings on the Symposium on Research on Wave Action. Delft University of Technology. 9. Retrieved 30 June 2023 – via TU Delft Repository.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Wagret, P. (1955). "Le laboratoire de recherches hydrauliques de Delft (Pays-Bas)" [The Hydraulic Research Laboratory in Delft (Netherlands)]. Revue de Géographie Alpine (in French). 43 (4): 835–840. doi:10.3406/rga.1955.1204. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  5. 1 2 Mosselman, E. (2004). "WL | Delft Hydraulics: history, mission and models". Journal of Hydraulic Research. 42 (2): 35–42. doi:10.1080/00221686.2004.9628308. ISSN 0022-1686. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  6. 1 2 Dietz, J.; van Staal, G.; Siefert, W.; Venis, W.A. (1969). "Wave forces on the Eider evacuation sluices". Proceedings of the Symposium on Research on Wave Action. Delft University of Technology. 5. Retrieved 1 July 2023 – via TU Delft Repository.
  7. ↑ "El laboratorio de hidráulica Neerlandés: Un instituto de investigación de significancia internacional" [The Dutch hydraulic laboratory: An institute of international significance] (PDF). Revista de Obras Públicas (in Spanish). 113 (3004): 677–683. 1965. Retrieved 7 October 2023 – via Hemeroteca Revista de Obras Públicas.
  8. ↑ Schoemaker, H.J. (1971). "Scope and aims in model techniques". Manuscripts of H.J. Schoemaker from the period 1946-1971: Part A: model techniques. Delft: Delft University of Technology. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  9. ↑ Rehbock, T. (1931). Wasserbauliche Modellversuche zur Klärung der Abflusserscheinungen beim Abschluss der Zuiderzee ausgeführt im Flussbaulaboratorium der Technischen Hochschule zu Karlsruhe [Hydraulic model experiments for the clarification of discharge phenomena during the closure of the Zuiderzee, conducted at the River Construction Laboratory of the Technical University of Karlsruhe] (in German). Rijkswaterstaat. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  10. ↑ Thijsse, J.Th.; de Blocq van Kuffeler, V.J.P. (1932). "Modelproeven in het Waterbouwkundig Laboratorium te Delft betreffende sluizen en andere kunstwerken" [Model tests in the Hydraulic Engineering Laboratory in Delft concerning locks and other structures]. Reports and Communications Concerning the Zuiderzee Works (in Dutch). Rijkswaterstaat (4). Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  11. 1 2 Haile, W.H.; Cheetham, H. (1951). "Flood-Prevention Schemes in the Vicinity of the City of Nottingham, with Special Reference to the Hydraulic Model Constructed at Delft University, Holland". Journal of the Institution of Civil Engineers. 35 (3): 135–152. doi:10.1680/IJOTI.1951.12766. ISSN 0368-2455. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  12. ↑ Thijsse, J.Th. (1939). "Voor-onderzoek op waterloopkundig gebied" [Preliminary Research in the Field of Hydrodynamics]. De Ingenieur (in Dutch). 54 (30): 112–118. Retrieved 1 July 2023 – via Delpher.
  13. ↑ d'Angremond, K.; van Oorschot, J.H. (1969). "Generation of irregular waves on model scales". Proceedings of the Symposium on Research on Wave Action. Delft University of Technology. 2. Retrieved 30 June 2023 – via TU Delft Repository.
  14. ↑ Sverdrup, H.U.; Munk, W.H. (1946). "Empirical and theoretical relations between wind, sea, and swell". Transactions of the American Geophysical Union. 27 (6): 823. Bibcode:1946TrAGU..27..823S. doi:10.1029/TR027i006p00823. ISSN 0002-8606. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  15. ↑ de Jong, J. (1969). "New wind-wave flumes at Delft". Proceedings of the Symposium on Research on Wave Action. Delft University of Technology. Retrieved 30 June 2023 – via TU Delft Repository.
  16. ↑ "El laboratorio de hidrología en los países bajos" [The hydrology laboratory in the Netherlands] (PDF). Revista de Obras Públicas (in Spanish). 116 (3051): 561–564. 1969. Retrieved 7 October 2023 – via Hemeroteca Revista de Obras Públicas.
  17. ↑ "Het waterloopkundig Laboratorium Delft" [The Delft Hydraulic Research Laboratory]. Canon van Nederland (in Dutch). Netherlands Open Air Museum. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  18. ↑ "Nieuw complex van Waterloopkundig laboratorium open" [New complex opens at the Hydraulic Research Laboratory]. NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). 22 May 1973. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  19. ↑ Korteweg, J.E. (2018). Breaking New Ground: Dutch Dredging Pioneers. Amsterdam: Balans. ISBN 9789460039676. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  20. ↑ Markus, A.A.; Courage, W.M.G.; van Mierlo, M.C.L.M. (2010). "A Computational Framework for Flood Risk Assessment in The Netherlands". Scientific Programming. 18: 93–105. doi:10.3233/SPR-2010-0298. ISSN 1058-9244. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  21. ↑ Caires, S.; Groeneweg, J.; Sterl, A. (2008). "Past and future changes in North Sea extreme waves". Coastal Engineering 2008. World Scientific Publishing Company: 547–559. doi:10.1142/9789814277426_0046. ISBN 978-981-4277-36-5. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  22. ↑ Haile, W.H.; Cheetham, H.; Thijsse, J.Th.; Doran, W.E.; Bowen, H.C.; Thompson, W.P.; Rooke, G.W.; Morgan, H.D.; Frank, P.; Clay, C.; Haigh, I.P.; Jellett, J.H.; O'Sullivan, T.P.; Standing, B.; Inglis, C. (1951). "Discussion: Flood-Prevention Schemes in the Vicinity of the City of Nottingham, with Special Reference to the Hydraulic Model Constructed at Delft University, Holland". Journal of the Institution of Civil Engineers. 35 (3): 153–169. doi:10.1680/IJOTI.1951.12767. ISSN 0368-2455. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  23. ↑ Haile, W.H.; Cheetham, H.; Allen, J. (1951). "Correspondence: Flood-Prevention Schemes in the Vicinity of the City of Nottingham, with Special Reference to the Hydraulic Model Constructed at Delft University, Holland". Journal of the Institution of Civil Engineers. 36 (8): 20–21. doi:10.1680/ijoti.1951.12704. ISSN 0368-2455. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  24. ↑ Bijker, E.W. (1956). "Het Waterloopkundig Laboratorium 'de Voorst' in de Noord Oost polder met korte toelichting van de onderhanden modellen" [The Waterloopkundig Laboratorium 'de Voorst' in the Noordoostpolder, with a brief explanation of the ongoing models.]. De Ingenieur (in Dutch) (47).
  25. ↑ Rietveld, R.; Rietveld, E.; Habets, D. (2017). "The tide of history: In the Dutch battle against the North Sea, the Delta Works are a miracle of hydraulic engineering". Architectural Review. 241 (1442): 86–89. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  26. ↑ van Woensel, J.T.W.H. (1996). "Het Waterloopkundig Laboratorium in de Noordoostpolder" [The Hydraulic Research Laboratory in the Noordoostpolder]. Cultural Historical Yearbook for Flevoland (6): 9–27.
  27. ↑ "Ingenieros Holandeses someten al mar: La técnica y el ingenio frente a frente con los elementos de la naturaleza" [Dutch engineers subdue the sea: Technique and ingenuity face to face with the elements of nature] (PDF). Revista de Obras Públicas (in Spanish). 112 (2993): 1021–1026. 1964. Retrieved 7 October 2023 – via Hemeroteca Revista de Obras Públicas.
  28. ↑ Thijsse, J.Th. (1961). "Het Deltamodel in het Waterloopkundig Laboratorium te Delft" [The Deltamodel at the Waterloopkundig Laboratorium in Delft]. Reports of the Deltacommissie (in Dutch). SDU. IV. Retrieved 30 June 2023 – via TU Delft Repository.
  29. ↑ Tritthart, M. (2021). "Advanced Modeling Strategies for Hydraulic Engineering and River Research". Water. 13 (22): 3261. doi:10.3390/w13223261. ISSN 2073-4441.
  30. ↑ "Waterloopbos - Natuurgebied". Natuurmonumenten (in Dutch). Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  31. ↑ "See Deltawerk// at the Rijksmonument Waterloopbos". www.holland.com. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  32. ↑ "Eanbling Delta Life: Deltares". www.deltares.nl. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  33. ↑ Bijker, E.W. (1977). "Editorial". Coastal Engineering. 1 (1): 1–2. doi:10.1016/0378-3839(77)90002-3. ISSN 0378-3839. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  34. ↑ Burcharth, H.F. (2012). "Obituary: Eco Wiebe Bijker". Coastal Engineering. 65 (1): I. doi:10.1016/S0378-3839(12)00070-1. ISSN 0378-3839. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  35. ↑ Steketee, Hans (12 October 2020). "Geestelijk vader van de Oosterscheldekering" [Spiritual father of the Oosterscheldekering]. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  36. ↑ Boehmer, J.W.; Spaargaren, F. (1971). "Nota betreffende de waterloopkundige en grondmechanische aspecten van de keuze afsluitmiddelen Oosterschelde" [On the hydraulic and geotechnical aspects of the choice of closure means for the Eastern Scheldt]. Rijkswaterstaat (in Dutch). The Hague. 262303. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  37. ↑ d' Angremond, K. (2001). "Pompen of verzuipen" [Sink or swim]. De Academische Boekengids (in Dutch). Oct (29): 7–8. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  38. ↑ "Waterbouwkundig Laboratorium 90th anniversary". 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
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