Land reclamation

According to sustainable design principles

Land reclamation has a significant impact on the surrounding area. The choice of location, construction method (sand suppletion or drainage), geometry and choice of construction materials (especially the extraction site) largely determine the impact. For land reclamation issues, Witteveen+Bos works with integrated project teams, frequently applying our sustainable design principles.

Land reclamation requires an integrated approach in which engineering, execution and planning are closely coordinated. Thanks to our extensive knowledge of and experience with land reclamation projects, such as the Second Maasvlakte and artificial islands in Indonesia and the Caspian Sea, we can provide broad-based advice in this field. We engineer new land surfaces in seas, lakes and rivers for the construction of new residential districts or port expansion projects.

To achieve cost-efficient and sustainable land reclamation, we apply our sustainable design principles (SDPs). This allows us to achieve optimal integration of the land reclamation projects within existing natural systems. We minimise the use of finite sources and materials and aim to achieve an optimal fit with the socio-economic systems of which the reclaimed land will form part.

Executable and licensable design

To achieve an integrated design, a team with specialist knowledge of (coastal) hydraulic engineering, geotechnical engineering, hydrodynamics, morphology, water management, dredging and ecology is put together for each project.

We carefully assess the feasibility (in terms of costs, planning and execution) and environmental impact of relevant alternatives. This results in a feasible and licensable design. During the construction phase, we support the contractor in optimising the design, or we help the client in preparing the contract to be concluded with the contractor. We can also fulfil the role of site manager and supervisor.