Berend Schmidt
Berend graduated in 2022 with a degree in Civil Engineering from Windesheim University, in the Netherlands. Throughout his studies, his interest in hydraulic and future-proof solutions has grown. Berend’s internship at Arcadis gave him insights into the world of port and waterway designs. These experiences provided him with better knowledge about these topics during his thesis on innovative quay wall structures. Berend’s joint research was awarded the Waterbouwprijs – the prize for best hydraulic engineering graduation research of 2022 in the Netherlands.
Articles By Berend Schmidt
Reinforced soil – the quay wall structure for the future?
Steel and concrete are the most common materials used in quay wall structures. The application of these materials contributes to a high emission of greenhouse gasses such as CO2 and the materials make up a large part of the construction costs. This graduate research examines whether alternative quay wall structures have the potential to be more cost effective and more sustainable compared to conventional structures for inland ports. An innovative quay wall of reinforced soil was designed and quay elements implemented to make a quay wall structure. A comparison was then made based on the criteria costs and sustainability between the innovative quay design and two conventional quays.