Macro stability experiment

The large-scale macro stability experiment is being carried out by the IJkdijk foundation in partnership with Rijkswaterstaat ITC. This experiment looks into the question of whether using measurement and sensor technologies form an addition to the regular visual inspection of levees and can thus predict stability problems in good time. On 27 September 2008 a controlled levee breach was brought about and the detailed results of the experiment were announced on Thursday.

Test results
The test levee for the macro stability experiment was equipped with a wide range of measurement equipment. The analysis of the measurement results shows that movement and deformation in the levee are variables that predict a levee breach well in advance. Deformation took place as far as 42 hours prior to the actual breach of the test levee, precisely at the position where the levee actually collapsed. The sensors proved to support each other in the measurements carried out to detect premature subsidence in the levee. The IJkdijk foundation is convinced that sensor technology forms a valuable addition to regular levee inspections.