Sand Motor

Our Client
The South Holland coast requires constant maintenance. The necessary work is carried out every five years by adding new sand along the coastline in sand replenishment operations. The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment and the Province of Zuid-Holland have together taken the initiative to set up an innovative pilot project, the Sand Motor, which will protect and extend the coastline using nature's own forces. The Sand Motor consists of a large quantity of sand in the shape of a hook whose base is attached to the coast near Ter Heijde. The sand will be dispersed along the coast by wind, waves and currents. In this way, the coast will widen naturally, following the principle of Building with Nature.

Our work
Trailing suction hopper dredgers will be used to transport the 21.5 million m3 of sand required for the Sand Motor. The Sand Motor itself will consist of 19 million m3 of sand, with the rest being used to replenish two foreshores on its northern and southern sides.

Our results
The project will be a contribution to the long-term safety of the coast and create space for nature and recreation. In the course of time, the hook shape will disappear and a wider coast and wider dunes will be created, making the coast safer. The Sand Motor may turn out to be cheaper and at the same time less harmful to nature above and below the water than regular replenishment operations. If the Sand Motor is found to be an effective method of coastal reinforcement, it may be used in more places along the coast, both in the Netherlands and in other countries.

For more information on ‘Building with Nature', go to www.ecoshape.nl