Water Worlds – Planning and Design
750 l
of Water are needed to produce 1 kg of paper.
only 0,03 %
of the world‘s water resources are usable as drinking water.
748 Mio.
People have no access to clean drinking water.
70 %
of the Earth's surface is covered with water.
Constructing on and in the water
Designing and protecting living areas
Water, one of the earth‘s most valuable resources, must be used responsibly. Increasingly changing climate and the intensive use of our rivers, lakes and seas, combined with high environmental standards, pose demanding challenges for us engineers – not just in a technical sense, but also in terms of how our work directly influences people‘s lives and protects their environment. What particular aspects make constructing on and in the water so challenging?
Modernisation of a flood storage reservoir
Flood protection design
Memories of recent major flooding events in the German state of Thuringia are still fresh, motivating efforts to protect the population from future flooding. One such project is the current modernisation of the Straussfurt flood storage reservoir. Since it was commissioned in 1961, the structure has played a crucial flood management role in the Gera and Unstrut in Thuringia.
Sustainable port development with a view to the future
Onshore power supply system for the port of Arhus
The Port of Aarhus has set itself the goal of substantially reducing CO₂ emissions and creating a sustainable energy supply for ships while docked in the port. To this end, a modern onshore power supply system is being established at the existing container terminal. Inros Lackner SE is providing planning, design and consultancy services, helping to make the port future-ready and more environmentally friendly. The project will be implemented in two phases, with a strong focus on compliance with international standards and on achieving maximum flexibility.
Key factors and requirements
Protecting people and their livelihoods
- Protecting people is the top priority: This means creating safe structures that protect against flooding and erosion.
- Ensuring healthy living conditions: Water quality, hygiene and accessibility must be maintained. Sustainable design creates living areas that promote well-being, rest and recovery.
Geotechnical challenges
- Soft soils and instability: Maritime or hydraulic construction projects on unstable, sedimentary soils require special foundation methods such as piling or soil reinforcement.
- Groundwater management: High groundwater levels require costly drainage measures to keep excavations safe and dry.
Hydrodynamic forces
- Flow and wave effects: Structures in water must withstand currents, waves and tides to ensure their stability and longevity.
- Erosion and sedimentation: Water movements cause erosion and sedimentation which can jeopardise waterfront/ bank structures, necessitating protective measures such as groynes, breakwaters or bank reinforcement.
Environmental and social sustainability
- Demanding environmental standards: Hydraulic and maritime engineering projects necessitate rigorous measures to protect ecosystems, water quality and the landscape.
- Demanding social standards: leaving no-one behind and empowering local communities and stakeholders.
- Protection of flora and fauna: Construction activities can disturb sensitive habitats. Measures to avoid or compensate for environmental damage are an integral part of the planning and design process.
Technical complexity and logistics
- Access and transport: Logistics are often complicated in maritime engineering projects, especially offshore or in remote coastal regions.
- Weather dependence: Storms and high waves can delay projects and thus necessitate flexible scheduling and robust protective measures.
Safety considerations
- Working in difficult conditions: Working on maritime construction sites is often more dangerous than working on land. Special precautions are required to ensure the safety of workers during dives, on floating platforms or in the vicinity of water currents.
Economic efficiency and ecological balance
- Ecological balance: In sustainable construction, the focus is on achieving a long service life for structures and infrastructure. The durability of the construction materials, and their resistance to applicable environmental conditions (e.g. marine) for a period of at least 50 years, are crucial. Life-cycle costs (LCC) and life-cycle analysis (LCA) are key assessment tools and the basis for the certification of sustainable structures.
- Higher construction costs: The technical requirements relating to marine or hydraulic construction often lead to higher construction costs, as do the use of special equipment and the application of appropriate protective measures. A careful cost-benefit analysis and longterm planning are therefore essential.
Long-term maintenance and monitoring
- Continual monitoring: Hydraulic and marine engineering structures require continual monitoring and regular maintenance to ensure their long-term functionality and safety. Key concerns include corrosion, sedimentation and mechanical wear.
Stabilisation through erosion control
Coastal protection in Tunisia
Tunisia’s 1,100 km Mediterranean coastline faces erosion and rising sea levels, threatening coastal communities that generate 90 per cent of the economy. Since 2013, protection measures have restored 30 km of coastline through underwater breakwaters, as part of a KfW-supported programme for long-term stabilisation of the Coast. Inros Lackner provides technical expertise and supports the creation of a specialised coastal protection department.
Dyke enhancements on the offshore island
Coastal protection on Helgoland
The coastal protection measures on the north-east coast of the island of Helgoland are being adapted in accordance with rising sea levels – and specifically, today’s design sea level. The dykes, built between 1952 and 1955, were previously damaged by the severe storm surge of 1962 and subsequently repaired. Now they are being improved to provide the level of flood protection that is expected today.
Optimisation of city drainage infrastructure
Beira flood barrier in Mozambique
Climate change poses major challenges for ports and coastal cities. Mozambique, particularly Beira, faces rising sea levels, storms, and flooding. Phase I of the project focuses on optimizing drainage by building a flood barrier at the fishing port and improving the Rio Chiveve’s discharge capacity to reduce flood risk. Phase II includes developing a green landscape park in the river basin. Inros Lackner is playing a significant role in implementing the flood prevention strategy.
Hydraulic 2D calculations for runoff scenarios
Flood protection Bavaria
The district of Wernberg in the market town of Wernberg-Köblitz is at high risk of flooding. In an HQ100 event, around 27 hectares of built-up areas would be flooded. In order to effectively protect the local area from flooding, appropriate flood protection measures were planned to enhance the foreland, taking into account natural conditions and public accessibility.
Lavatory facilities at the Pouthiprek Primary School in Cambodia
Help for Schoolchildren
Inros Lackner hilft e.V. has been supporting humanitarian projects since 2020, working to improve living conditions in disadvantaged regions. This year, a special project was successfully completed: the construction of new lavatory facilities for the Pouthiprek Primary School in Cambodia.
Pioneering engineering solutions
Desalination plants in Australia
The planning and implementation of modern desalination plants demand innovative approaches to maximise efficiency while minimising environmental impact. As part of two projects commissioned by Aurecon Australasia Pty Ltd, pioneering engineering solutions were developed.
Construction of new terminal on the British Virgin Islands
West End Ferry Terminal, Tortola
The West End Ferry Terminal was destroyed by two hurricanes, in 2011 and 2017. Inros Lackner was contracted to plan and design the new terminal (area approximately 4000 m2) and to provide site supervision services during its construction. Tortola, the largest of the British Virgin Islands, is a popular travel destination and an important hub for boat traffic between the British and American Virgin Islands.
Sensitive Design on the North Sea Coast
Beach area Norden-Norddeich
The beach area and a protected dune landscape on the North Sea coast in the Aurich district of East Frisia are being renovated and redesigned to promote tourism. The designs for the shoreline structure and the floodable promenade must meet local wave, current, and storm surge conditions. (©Visualization: WES)
