Graduation Internship: Reliability of Quay Wall Capacity

This graduation research builds on recent studies into the reliability of existing quay walls. The previous research focused on understanding the actual capacity of quay walls by using an innovative approach that utilises deformation data and Bayesian Updating, supported by surrogate modelling. This approach aims to accurately quantify the strength and stiffness parameters of the influential soil layers surrounding the quay, leading to an improved understanding of the quay wall’s reliability.

What you do as an intern in our team?

The aim of this graduation research is to further develop the current approach by maturing the existing modules, as well as adding multiple failure mechanisms. These failure mechanisms include wall buckling, anchor capacity, and overall stability. By expanding the model, it can provide a comprehensive insight of the reliability of existing quay walls. Key knowledge fields in the graduation research are probabilistic design of quay walls, Bayesian statistics, geotechnical FE-modelling, surrogate modelling and scripting in Python.

The research will contribute to a better understanding of the actual capacity of existing quay walls, which enables lifespan extension and repurposing of these structures without unnecessary strengthening measures or replacement. This ultimately prevents unnecessary CO2 emissions and use of natural resources.

What you bring as an intern at Royal HaskoningDHV

You are an MSc student in the field of civil engineering (e.g. hydraulic engineering, geotechnical engineering) who has skill and strong affinity with probabilistic design, numerical modelling and scripting. Moreover, you are keen to experience the working environment in an engineering consultancy firm.

Where you will work?

Royal HaskoningDHV is a global company with over 6,000 staff in 140 countries and is active in engineering & design and consultancy. We strive to have a positive impact on people and their environment and on the global economy through the projects we do.

You will become part of the Advisory Group Resilience & Maritime the Netherlands. This team consists of around 180 colleagues and is based in the Netherlands across three offices (Rotterdam, Amersfoort and Nijmegen). As a team we excel in a wide variety of services and skills in the fields of Climate Resilience and Maritime developments. We provide our clients, both private and (semi)governmental, with a range of services throughout the various phases of a project: from inception, through master planning, feasibility, design all the way to construction supervision. We have a strong foothold in the Netherlands but we operate worldwide.