Solving the problem of instable dikes due to high water levels

During winter time there was a problem in the Netherlands with instable dikes. Dikes are needed to divert the water coming from the Alps to the sea. Due to the long period of high water in all the rivers the dikes got soaked with water. Due to the extra weight of the water the dike could collapse. A solution for this is to cut the dike in two pieces by making a vertical cut. In this tranch a plastic foil could be placed. High waterlevels will now only make half the dike soaking wet. The only problem is how to place the foil. The dike is very unstable causing the small tranch to collapse before the foil is placed. Some years later i read an article about this problem in Cobouw of 5 mei 2011.

In civil building a technique with grout is invented. You dig a tranch and fill this tranche with grout. This grout will prevent the tranche from collapsing because you add the same weigh as the soil you removed. When this grout cures a watertight wall arises. So now half of the dike will get wet due to high waterlevels in the river. The dry part will now keep the dike stable.


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