Deltares: Franz Edelman Award for Optimisation of Dutch Dike Standards

The ‘Economically Efficient Flood Standards to Protect the Netherlands against Flooding’ project, which calculated the optimal design for Dutch dikes, has won the prestigious Franz Edelman Award in Texas.

Deltares came in ahead of five other finalists, including Baosteel, Chevron, Dell, Kroger and McKesson.

A consortium of Dutch organisations developed and implemented a new method for calculating the most efficient levels of flood protection for the Netherlands. The new method makes it possible to invest more effectively. It can be used throughout the world to determine optimal dike design for flood protection.

Deltares was involved on the analysis side of the project and drafted the final report ‘Social cost/benefit analysis for the 21st century’, which was published in 2011. The theory, the mathematical model and the software were developed in conjunction with, and in accordance with instructions from, Deltares by the Dutch Central Planning Office, the country’s Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, Tilburg University, Delft University of Technology and HKV consultants.

The Franz Edelman Award is granted annually by the Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences (INFORMS®), an international scientific society with a membership that includes Noble prize laureates. INFORMS organises the award to attest to the contribution of Operations Research, which uses advanced analytical methods to improve or optimise organisational processes. Award-winning projects have had, and continue to have, major impacts on society, industry or the corporate sector.

[mappress]

Press Release, April 9, 2013