Service life assessment of 46 coastal facilities along the west coast of Jutland

The Danish Coastal Authority wants to determine the challenges that the piers, lock systems, navigation lights, quays and dams along the west coast of Jutland will be facing over the next 50 years, taking into account the climate of the future. Some of these facilities are almost 100 years old, and the project must therefore map the future needs for investments in the facilities.

Thorough inspection both above and below water

In connection with the examination of the facilities, local teams of divers from Hanstholm will inspect the structures under water. The structures are measured above and below water by sub-consultants using state-of-the-art field equipment to provide a complete 3D data model of the facilities which communicates with the Danish Coastal Authority’s own facility management system.

Sweco puts on rubber boots and supplements this knowledge with a physical inspection. Sweco will use the overall knowledge to assess the condition and remaining service life of the facilities in terms of degradation, climate change, sea level rise, changing wave conditions and coastal morphology.

Investment in maritime infrastructure

In an overall report for all the structures, Sweco will prepare a priority list of needed repairs based on residual service life. In addition, Sweco will identify the five most damaged facilities which need to be repaired first.

The Danish Coastal Authority will use the study and report as a basis for an investment plan for our maritime infrastructure.

Domestic and foreign experts

To perform the assignment, Sweco brings local, regional and national professional competences and experts into play in the project, including the world’s leading dike specialist from the Netherlands. The primary studies must be completed in mid-October 2021, and the whole work is expected to be concluded by the end of 2022. The project has a budget framework of DKK 20 million.

“In its approach to the assignment, Sweco provides good and tangible presentations and proposals for the performance of the tendered assignment and shows good understanding of what it entails and of the Danish Coastal Authority. Sweco’s organisation of the project is based on using regular employees in the project tracks and taking into account weather-sensitive and critical facilities, which is a high priority area for the Danish Coastal Authority in relation to compliance with the proposed schedule. Another reason for the choice of Sweco is that the work is integrated with the Danish Coastal Authority’s own facility management system (KAMIK) and involves climate change experts.”