Quay wall design for an uncertain future

The importance of incorporating flexibility and adaptability in infrastructure is being increasingly recognized. Flexibility in infrastructure can prolong their economic lifetime by enabling them to adapt to the changed requirements. The objective of this paper is to examine if it is possible to incorporate flexibility in port infrastructure such as a quay wall. Our chosen approach is to carry out a survey of the recent research on flexible concepts in infrastructure, and investigate the application of these concepts in practice. The extent of reuse of infrastructures, of elements and of materials is also examined. The scope of research is limited to the Port of Rotterdam. The study concludes that the examples of flexible infrastructures, or of reuse in general, are few and fat in between. This is mainly due to the local site and market conditions here. However, circumstances may change, and demand flexible solutions. Therefore, research into flexible and sustainable infrastructural solutions must continue.Hydraulic EngineeringCivil Engineering and Geoscience