Research & Projects

Following construction of the Sand Motor along the Delfland coast, the multidisciplinary STW NatureCoast programme has been initiated by prof. Marcel Stive. The programme comprises of 12 PhD- and 3 postdoc-positions in various fields of science. It aims for extensive and complete knowledge of the performance of mega-nourishments such as the Sand Motor.

Max investigates the influence of these large, sandy coastline perturbations on hydrodynamics, with a special focus on swimmer safety. The study comprises of two main parts. The first part relates to physical aspects, like rip cell circulation, tidal flow contraction and flow separation. The seconds part relates to the ‘soft’ parameters of swimmer safety, like beach attendance and beach user behaviour. An important goal of the study is to improve capabilities for predicting swimmer safety, tailored to the needs of researchers, hydraulic engineering consultants and life guards.