Ecological Engineering and Civil Engineering works

This thesis provides a survey of the research results of the relationship between on the one hand the construction, management and maintenance of civil engineering works, and on the other hand the environment, nature and landscape, with the main focus on motorways and coastal protection. The growing number and increase in size of civil engineering works and the growing need for protection measures of the sandy coasts have led to an ever increasing risk of adverse effects on the nature and landscape of the Netherlands, as well as to an increase in the degree of the impact of these effects. Consequently, such institutions as the Road and Hydraulic Engineering Institute (Dienst Weg- en Waterbouwkunde - DWW -) of the Directorate General of Public Works and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat) of the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management have carried out extensive studies of possible adverse effects. Based on these studies were carried out of measures intended to prevent adverse effects, to avoid their impact and to mitigate and/or to compensate for them (i.e. to take measures elsewhere in order to bring about a no net loss of nature values), apart from measures that can produce positive effects. From a scientific point of view as well as of the interest of society it is important to pay attention to the possibilities for better inserting civil engineering work (e.g. construction and use of infrastructure and such activities as coastal management) into ecosystems in order to conserve and develop biodiversity. In this thesis the results of conducted research as well as outsources studies are presented in the form of a synthesis. In this context, the focus has been on integrating knowledge concerning the understanding, use and control of patterns and processes of ecosystems into the planning, the design, construction and maintenance of civil engineering works. Special attention was paid to roads, waterways, road verges, slopes, banks and bridges and viaduc
Civil Engineering and Geosciences