The Storm that Sparked the Construction of the Dutch Delta Works: A Modern Wonder of the World

On a cold and stormy morning in January 1953, the Princess Victoria ferry was preparing to leave its dock in Stranraer on the south-west coast of Scotland, despite gale warnings. An hour into its journey, its captain radioed for help as the storm forced the ferry onto its side, making it impossible to board the lifeboats. Of the 176 people aboard the Princess Victoria, only 43 survived, but there was more tragedy to come, as this storm was headed south towards the Netherlands, pushing the seas with it, and with the Moon and Sun causing even higher tides, this storm would severely test the flood defences of the Netherlands.

The Netherlands was still getting back on its feet after World War II, and the country's flood defences were not yet up to par. The 1953 North Sea Flood, as it came to be known, was one of the worst floods in Dutch history, with waters reaching as high as 6 meters (20 feet) in some areas. The flood resulted in over 1,800 deaths and widespread destruction, leaving thousands of people homeless. In response to this disaster, the Dutch government decided to invest heavily in the construction of new flood defences, which would become one of the most impressive engineering projects of the 20th century.

The project that emerged from this investment was the Dutch Delta Works, a massive network of dams, dikes, and storm surge barriers designed to protect the Netherlands from future flooding. The works were completed in 1979, after 26 years of construction, and at a cost of over $15 billion. Today, the Dutch Delta Works is considered one of the most impressive modern engineering projects of all time, and it has saved countless lives by protecting the Netherlands from the threat of flooding.

One of the key components of the Dutch Delta Works is the Storm Surge Barrier, also known as the Maeslantkering. This massive barrier stretches over 3 kilometers (2 miles) across the southern coast of the Netherlands, and it is designed to protect against the high tides that can occur during storms. The barrier consists of two movable storm surge doors, each weighing over 1 million tons, which are connected by a system of hydraulic pistons. These pistons allow the doors to open and close, depending on the level of the sea.

The construction of the Storm Surge Barrier was an engineering feat in itself, requiring the use of advanced technology and innovative techniques. The barrier was built using specialized ships that were designed to carry the massive concrete blocks needed for its construction. These ships, known as "slip form towers," were capable of laying down a row of blocks at a time, allowing workers to build the barrier quickly and efficiently.

The Dutch Delta Works is not just an engineering marvel; it's also an important lesson in the importance of flood protection and risk management. As sea levels continue to rise due to climate change, cities around the world are facing increased flooding risks, and the lessons learned from the Dutch Delta Works can be applied to other countries as well.

The flooding of New Orleans in 2005 was a devastating event that highlighted the need for effective flood defences. The city's levees were not designed to withstand the high tides caused by Hurricane Katrina, and over 80% of the city was flooded. In contrast, the Dutch Delta Works has proven to be an effective solution to flooding, saving countless lives and preventing widespread destruction.

In conclusion, the Storm Surge Barrier and the Dutch Delta Works are a testament to human ingenuity and determination in the face of natural disasters. These engineering marvels have saved countless lives and protected communities from the threat of flooding, and they serve as an important reminder of the importance of investing in flood protection and risk management.

Skillshare: A Platform for Learning Creative Skills

As we reflect on the importance of learning new skills, it's worth mentioning a platform that has helped me develop my own creative skills - Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning platform that offers a wide range of courses and workshops on creative topics such as animation, editing, photography, and more. With Skillshare, you can learn how to use your camera like a professional, create stunning animations, or edit videos like a pro.

Skillshare's classes are designed to be accessible and understandable, with clear instructions and step-by-step guides that make it easy to follow along. The platform also offers a range of courses and workshops for different skill levels, so whether you're a beginner or an experienced learner, you'll find something that suits your needs. Plus, Skillshare's community of learners is active and engaged, making it easy to connect with others who share your interests.

One of the most impressive things about Skillshare is its commitment to helping users develop new skills. The platform offers courses on a wide range of topics, from business and marketing to creative skills like animation and editing. With Skillshare, you can learn how to start a new business or hobby, or simply improve your existing skills.

As someone who has benefited from learning new skills, I highly recommend Skillshare as a resource for anyone looking to develop their creative abilities. The platform is easy to use, with clear instructions and step-by-step guides that make it easy to follow along. Plus, the community of learners is active and engaged, making it easy to connect with others who share your interests.

So why not sign up to Skillshare today? With a 2-month free trial available for new users, you can try out the platform risk-free and see how it can help you develop your creative skills. Whether you're looking to start a new business or simply improve your existing skills, Skillshare is the perfect resource to help you achieve your goals.

Conclusion

The Storm Surge Barrier and the Dutch Delta Works are an engineering marvel that serves as a testament to human ingenuity and determination in the face of natural disasters. These engineering marvels have saved countless lives and protected communities from the threat of flooding, and they serve as an important reminder of the importance of investing in flood protection and risk management.

As we reflect on the importance of learning new skills, it's worth mentioning a platform that has helped me develop my own creative skills - Skillshare. With its wide range of courses and workshops on creative topics, Skillshare is an excellent resource for anyone looking to develop their skills.

Whether you're an engineer, a business owner, or simply someone who wants to learn new skills, the Dutch Delta Works serves as an important lesson in the importance of flood protection and risk management. By investing in effective flood defences, communities can protect themselves from the threat of flooding and ensure that they are prepared for natural disasters.

In conclusion, the Storm Surge Barrier and the Dutch Delta Works are a testament to human ingenuity and determination in the face of natural disasters. These engineering marvels have saved countless lives and protected communities from the threat of flooding, and they serve as an important reminder of the importance of investing in flood protection and risk management.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enThis episode of Real Engineering was broughtto you by Skillshare, home to over 16,000classes that could teach you a new life skill.The first 500 people to sign up with the linkthe description will get a 2 month free trial.On a cold and stormy morning in January 1953,the Princess Victoria ferry was preparingto leave its dock in Stranraer on the south-westcoast of Scotland, despite gale warnings.An hour into its journey its captain radioedfor help as the storm forced the ferry onits side, making it impossible to board thelifeboats.Of the 176 people aboard the princess victoria,only 43 survived, but there was more tragedyto come, this storm was headed south towardsthe Netherlands, pushing the seas with it,and with the Moon and Sun causing even highertides, this storm would severely test theflood defences of the Netherlands, which wasstill getting back on its feet after the SecondWorld War.The storm would ultimately claim the livesof 1,835 people in the Netherlands, alongwith 200,000 cattle and flooding 2,000 squarekilometres of land, destroying 43,000 homesforcing and 72,000 people to flee.Today, we are going to learn why this happenedand how it would spark the construction ofone of the seven modern wonders of the world:The Dutch Delta Works.After World War 2, the meandering levees onthe coast of the Netherlands had fallen intodisrepair, the Netherlands were just gettingback onto their feet after 5 years Germanoccupation just 8 years prior to the storm.The poorly maintained flood defences werea disaster waiting to happen.As the storm approached, it forced water inlandswith no-where to go, but up.This put intense pressure on the dykes andlevees of the low countries, and by the storm’send 139 kilometres of levees would be heavilydamaged, with holes up to 3.5 kilometres beingtorn open.With nearly 26% of the Netherlands land areabeing under sea level, seawater burst throughthese breeches with immense strength causingdamage that would take decades to repair andwould spur the formation of the Delta Committeejust 20 days later to ensure this could neverhappen again and this is what they came upwith.The new Delta plan would shorten the Dutchcoastline by 700 kilometres, by closing theprimary inlets in these 4 locations, thiswould drastically reduce the length of leveesand dykes that needed to be inspected andmaintained and thus decreasing the chancesof weak points jeopardising the safety ofthe Dutch people.However this was no easy task and would comewith an enormous cost.Before these works could be completed, additionalbarriers needed to be erected upstream toimprove fresh and saltwater management, andprevent fresh water emptying from the Rhine,Meuse and Schelde river from redirecting aroundthese new dams.The northern most closure dam also neededto be equipped with a hydraulic sluice capableof dealing with the output of the Rhine river,as this Fresh water would flood the Netherlandsfrom the other direction, if it was preventedfrom emptying into the North Sea.On top of all this, a number of ports, suchas the port of Rotterdam and the port of Antwerp,had to stay accessible.So, aside from fixed dams, bridges and sluices,two new locks that would allow an inland shiproute between Antwerp and Rotterdam neededto be built.Amazingly, on top of all this work, the dutchstill managed to consider the environmentalimpact of this work.The largest of the structures built for theDelta Works project, the Oosterschelde StormSurge Barrier, was originally planned to completelyclose the mouth of this river, which wouldcreate a fresh water basin.However resistance to this plan arose, asit would completely change the saltwater environmentof the area.The Oosterschelde scenery is unique, witha great variety of fish, water plants andanimals.So in 1976 the Dutch government agreed toa different plan: Building an open barrierthat could be closed during heavy storms andhigh tides.adding another 2.5 billion euros to the costto the project.This barrier is 9 kilometres long with 62openings, each 40 metres wide, allowing thetidal movement to remain in tact.To build a structure this massive, that needsto not only support it’s own weight, butthe enormous force of a storm surge pushingagainst it, would require extensive foundations.The first part of these foundations were createdby forming two islands, the biggest of whichhousing a lock to allowing ships to pass throughthe barrier.This island even included a massive dry dockto construct the 65 pylons needed to supportthe sluice gates, each using 7,000 cubic metresof concrete and taking one-and-a-half yearsto build.Between each island a trench was dug.On both sides of the trench, mats were placedto keep the seabed in place.While specially built ships were then usedto consolidate the sand at the bottom of thetrench, using special vibrating needles, thesand would be vibrated to pack the sand firmlytogether creating a surface that could carrythe weight of the massive pylons.The trench itself was then covered with speciallymade mats filled with rocks to help preventerosion of the underlying sand.The pylons were left hollow so they couldbe picked up by another purpose-built, u-shapedship, and moved into place.There, inside the trench, on top of the mats,they would be lowered, filled with sand andclosed with concrete.The wide foot of each pylon was packed instone, as it is vital the pylons never move,because if even one of the massive, 260 to480 tonne doors, cannot move, the currentin that location could become enormous andpotentially damage the structure.Finally these enormous hydraulic pistons wereattached to the sluice gates, allowing 3 kilometresof the 9 kilometre long Storm Surge Barrierto open and close on demand.This project truly is one of the modern wondersof the world.Allowing the dutch to rule the tide and ensurethe chances of another devastating flood aredramatically reduced, but with sea levelscontinuing to rise and warmers seas causingeven stronger storms, we need to remind ourselvesof the lessons learned here.The flooding of New Orleans in 2005 occurredfor many of the same reasons as the 1953 floodingof the Netherlands.Poorly maintained levees broke well belowtheir design tolerances, allowing 80% of thecity to be flooded in just 5 hours.Had New Orleans taken lessons from historyand reduced the length of defences needed,as they have done now with the 1.1 billiondollar Lake Borgne Surge Barrier, they mayhave saved of over 1000 people and preventedthe 108 billion dollars of damage the stormcaused.If these trends continue cities around theworld are going to have to seriously assessthe risk of flooding and make plans to preventany chance of a flood taking the lives oftheir citizens.So you may admired some of the footage inthis video, it’s not the first I have travelledto a location to get footage, but it is thefirst time I have really felt prepared becauseI finally learned the necessary skills touse my equipment like a professional fromSkillshare.I learned all the technical terms and settingsto set up still shots of the storm surge barrier.I learned how to get cinematic shots withmy drone and I learned how to apply the correctcolour corrections too.Skillshare is simply the best place on theinternet to learn creative skills that couldhelp you develop a new life skill.With professional and understandable classes,that follow a clear learning curve.You could even learn the skills to start anew business like I did for this channel,through courses for animation and editing.A Premium Membership begins around $10 a monthfor unlimited access to all courses, but thefirst 500 people to sign up with this linkwill get a 2 month free trial.In those 2 months you could easily learn theskills you need to start a new hobby or business.So ask yourself right now.What skill have you been putting off learning.What project have you been dreaming of completing,but you aren’t sure if you have the skillsto do it.Why not start right now and sign up to Skillshareusing the link below.You have nothing to lose and a valuable lifeskill to gain.As usual, thank you for watching and thankyou to all my patreon supporters for helpingthis channel exist.If you would like to see more from me or seemore content from Real Engineering, like sneakpeeks for upcoming videos, check out the linksfor Instagram, twitter and facebook accountsin the description.\n"