DE MOL | ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025

Main Partners :
 PREFACE
FROM BOARD
Dear members,
With excitement I present you the first issue of De Mol written by board 18. As we are halfway through our term as board, we have
many stories to share with you. It took a while to form a committee and figure out the best suitable dates for the releases we have
planned. But nevertheless we are proud to present you this issue of the mol.
In the 2nd semester of the 2023/2024 academic year we hosted many fun and educational activities, such as the GeoDrinks,
lunch lectures and study lunches. We even went on three excursions with our year, which allowed us to experience geotechnical
engineering in practice and also further strengthen our bond. We kicked off the 2024/2025 academic year with a BBQ event at X.
Although many of us were not in Delft during the first quarter, it was great to see everyone again.
Looking ahead, we have some exciting events planned for the upcoming quarter. We will once again host a company dinner,
providing students the opportunity to network with industry professionals, discuss career opportunities, and explore potential
internships. I personally found this event valuable last year and am eager to bring it back. We will also close out the year with a
Christmas dinner to celebrate all the memories we’ve made throughout 2024.
We look forward to hosting you at these events!

Sincerely,
Sha’ief Dhauri
Commissioner of Activities
De Ondergrondse, Board 18

EDITORIAL
Dear members,
We’re excited to bring you a new edition filled with articles we think you’ll truly enjoy. One of the highlights of our recent activities
was a Dutch landscape excursion in March 2024. It was more than just a field trip; it was an opportunity to immerse ourselves
in the heart of the Netherlands’ unique landscape. From discovering the historic water management systems that have shaped
the country to rolling up our sleeves for soil drilling activities, the experience gave us a deeper understanding of the geological
formations that influence so many of the engineering solutions we rely on.
We’re also thrilled to share insightful contributions from some of our sponsors: Arthe, CRUX, and Fundex. Their articles and inter-
views offer a glimpse into what it’s like to be a geotechnical engineer, providing insights into the industry and the many career
paths available within the field.
In this edition’s International Geo-Corner, we’re featuring an article on the exciting new terminal extension of the Damietta port
in Egypt. This major project underlines the vital role geotechnical engineers play in shaping the infrastructure that drives global
trade and economic progress. It’s a perfect example of how our profession impacts the world on a large scale.
As you flip through the pages of this edition, we hope it sparks your curiosity and inspires you. We always look forward to hearing
your thoughts, and we truly appreciate your suggestions for future editions. Enjoy the read!

Warm regards,
Karim Abdel-Rahman
De Mol Committee

De Mol is a magazine of the Geo-Engineering

Master Student Association at TU Delft
All rights reserved, copyright ©2023 De Ondergrondse
Dispuut Geo-Engineering ‘De Ondergrondse’, Board 18
TU Delft, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences
Stevinweg 1, room 0.43.3
2628 CN Delf
1 ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 | DE MOL
 BECOME A KIVI MEMBER
De Ondergrondse has been working together with the Dutch Engineering Association
“KIVI Geotechniek” for quite some time now. In order to make this cooperation even
better, KIVI Geotechniek is offering the students of the Geo-Engineering section the
possibility to join the activities hosted by the association. These activities include ex-
cursions, conferences, and more! For most activities you need to become a member of
KIVI Geotechniek and most are organized in Dutch.

If you would like to become a member of KIVI Geotechniek, send an email to

ondergrondse@[Link]

CONTENTS
3 MEET BOARD 18

3
An introduction to Board 18 of
De Ondergrondse

5 MEET DE MOL COMMITTEE

An introduction to the current
Mol committee

7 DUTCH LANDSCAPE EXCURSION

A brief recap of the 2023/2024

5
Engineering Geology Dutch
landscape excursion

10 FUNDEX
On the way to a cleaner con-
struction site with F4800E and
the CD20E

11 CRUX
Meet Bob van Amsterdam, TU

7
Delft alumni currently working
as a geotechnical consultant

13 ARTHE
Renovating one of the busiest
motorways in The Netherlands,
the A27

15 INTERNATIONAL GEO-CORNER

15
The new terminal extension at
Damietta Port, Egypt

DE MOL | ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 2

 MEET BOARD 18

In February 2023, Board 17 of De Ondergrondse passed on the reins to Board 18. We are delighted to intro-
duce ourselves as the current board. From left to right we have Maxi, Evira, Barend, Mike and Sha’ief. From
the very beginning we were very excited to be given this opportunity and to set forth the many beloved
traditions of De Ondergrondse. We immediately began organizing lunch lectures and GeoDrinks. We have
many more exciting activities planned. Soon, we will be promoting the “GETA”. Below you will find a brief
introduction to each of our board members.

CHAIRMAN
Hi there! I’m Barend, the Chairman of Board 18. I completed my BSc in Civil En-
gineering at TU Delft, and I currently work as a student in the geotechnical field.
As a new cohort of students embarks on the Geotechnical Engineering track,
I’m excited to meet them and take part in both social and academic activities
together. When I’m not studying or working, you’ll often find me spending time
with friends or on the hockey field. I’ve been playing hockey since I was about
4 or 5 years old, and although I never played professionally, it’s still one of my
favorite things to do. I also enjoy cooking, especially making a good curry, as it
is one of my favourite comfort foods.
Barend Voogt ▼

3 ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 | DE MOL

 SECRETARY
Hallo! My name is Maxi, the Secretary of Board 18. Unlike the rest of us, I am from
Germany and that’s also where I got my bachelor’s degree. Apart from the Dutch
hobbies like biking and drinking beers, I enjoy going to the mountains back
home whenever I get the chance. Ever since getting in contact with tunneling,
I have been interested in learning as much as possible about geotechnical en-
gineering.

Maxi Schmidt ▼
TREASURER
Hey! My name is Evira, and I’m the Treasurer of Board 18. I completed my bach-
elor’s in Civil Engineering at TU Delft. Alongside my master’s, I like dancing salsa
as it is a great way to destress and stay active. Another one of my favorite activi-
ties is field hockey, which I’ve been playing since the age of seven. When I’m not
in a lecture hall you will most likely find me on a hockey field.
Evira Eman ▼

COMMISSIONER OF ACTIVITIES
Hola! I am Sha’ief, the Commissioner of Activities of Board 18. Like most of us
I also did my bachelor’s at TU Delft. Born and raised in Suriname, I decided to
move to the Netherlands after highschool to start a new educational journey
in Delft. Although I speak Dutch I’m not Dutch, very confusing I know. The geo-
technical courses in the bachelors sparked my interest in participation in the ge-
otechnical master track at Delft. My limited spare time next to my study, board
activities and part time job, I like to spend hanging out with friends and loved
Sha’ief Dhauri ▼

ones. Mostly drinking beers.

COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Hello! I am Mike, and I am the Commissioner of Education of Board 18. I com-
pleted my bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering here at TU Delft. Besides my
master’s, board activities and a part time job, I like hanging out with friends and
going to the movies in my spare time. Before I started my studies I practiced
judo for more than 10 years, eventually earning a brown belt.
Mike van der Voorden ▼

DE MOL | ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 4

 MEET DE MOL COMMITTEE
As we step into a new year, Board 18 proudly presents its new De Mol committee for our magazine. This
year, we have 3 members from 3 different parts of the world bring in their diverse backgrounds to the
magazine. De Mol committee for the year 2024/2025 has planned to release 3 editions, released during fall,
winter and spring. We’re really looking forward to putting out our well curated work to you with company
articles, personal experiences and exciting news from around the world. Below you will find a brief intro-
duction of each committee member.

KARIM ABDEL-RAHMAN
Hi everyone! I’m really happy to be part of the Mol committee this year. My name
is Karim, and I’m from Egypt. I joined TU Delft last year, and it’s been an exciting
journey. In my spare time, I enjoy playing padel tennis with friends. I’m also an
avid football fan and always enjoy following the latest games and updates.

SHA’IEF DHAURI
Hey, here I am again :). Apart from organizing De Ondergrondse events, I am also
in charge of the Mol magazine for Board 18. We have many fun and educational
articles planned and we have many stories to share. With these magazines I will
make sure to keep you up to date with the latest geotechnical engineering proj-
ects and our own personal geotechnical adventures.

NITHUL THEKKE CHOOLANGOT

Hi everyone! I’m really excited to be a part of the Mol committee this year. I’m
from India where I also did my bachelor’s. After working in research for a while, I
joined TU Delf for the master’s program. In my spare time I enjoy participating in
various types of sport activities and fitness sessions like bodypower, HIIT, XCORE,
dodgeball and a bit of volleyball. I’m a very outgoing person and active in multi-
ple study associations. So, if you see me around, do come by and say hi.

5 ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 | DE MOL

DE MOL | ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 6
Excursion Through Dutch Landscapes
In the month of March 2024, we went on a Dutch landscape excursion with [Link]. D.J.M. Ngan-Tillard. It was an
engaging two-day adventure that highlighted both cultural landmarks and geological marvels of the Nether-
lands. The group departed from TU Delft on the 7th, on a road trip to explore the geological features.

Author: Nithul Thekke Choolangot

Photographer: Wenchu Du

Day One: Iconic Dutch Sites and River

Systems
The first day began at Kinderdijk,
a UNESCO World Heritage site, re-
nowned for its 19 historic windmills
that symbolize the Netherlands’ long
battle against water. These majestic
structures offer a glimpse into
the country’s rich history of water
management and how geotechnical
engineering plays a crucial role in
the country’s sustenance. The scenic
canals and the serene surroundings
were an iconic start to the Dutch
landscape excursion. After exploring
Kinderdijk, the group moved to Al-
blasserwaard for soil drilling activities
at two different locations, providing
insights into the region’s clayey soil
structure and history. Drilling into
the soil with hand held augers and
seeing the soil type in real life was
7 ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 | DE MOL
indeed a change from the classroom after a day filled with exploration features formed was a sight to see,
lectures. and learning. It wasn’t completed which overlooked a huge river from
yet, [Link]. D.J.M. Ngan-Tillard had a set the top.
Next on the itinerary was the Wiel of quizzes for us, all of which was to
van Bassa, a large pond formed recap the geological features seen The afternoon includes a visit to the
during the breach of Diefdijk in the throughout the day and to under- Sandr at Elst, followed by the famous
1570s. The excursion then continues stand in depth the relations among Soester Dunes, vast stretches of
to Buren, a medieval town known all. inland sand dunes, something I hon-
for its well-preserved architecture, estly never expected to see. These
providing a perfect lunch break and landforms showed the impacts of
a walk through the town. historical climate changes and sand
Day Two: Exploring the Pleistocene migration patterns.
After lunch, we proceeded to Er- Sandy Landscape
ichem, another site for geological By the end of the second day, we had
study. Further on to a river mound at On the second day, the focus shifts a comprehensive tour of the Dutch
Heeskampsesteeg and a river dune to the Pleistocene sandy landscape. landscape, blending cultural history
at Bergharen, where the natural land- The first stop was Doorwerth Castle, with geological insights, offering a
scape provides excellent examples a beautiful medieval fortress with profound understanding of the in-
of river dynamics from the past ten stunning views of the surrounding terplay between nature and human
milleniums. nature. From the castle we hiked intervention. And by the evening we
up the push moraine formed over headed back to Delft after two long
The first day concluded at the hostel 10,000 years ago, from the past ice days of exploration.
in Arnhem to relax and enjoy dinner age. The immense scale of geological

DE MOL | ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 8

9 ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 | DE MOL
DE MOL | ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 10
11 ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 | DE MOL
 since
1953

Fundex, specialist
in the field of (deep)fundations

Nexus Leiden, zero-emission drilling rig Fundex F4800E

With Fundex on the way to a cleaner construction

site with the F4800E and the CD20E.
Foundation specialist Fundex, since 1953, has field of vibration-free (deep) foundations for many
been an expert in the field of international founda- structures, but also certainly in high-rise buildings.”
tion projects for many years. You can only achieve
that status if you continuously innovate and Fun- Nexus Leiden, Case Study
dex is unique in that too. The fully electric Fundex Nexus is a sustainable life science building with of-
CD20E drill was recently put into use. The CD20E fices and laboratories for scale-ups that Dura Ver-
is a compact zero-emission foundation machine meer is building at the Bio Science Park in Leiden.
that produces less noise and less emissions. In Nexus strives for BREEAM Excellent certification,
addition, the CD20E is flexible and versatile and an international standard for classifying buildings
the machine is an excellent alternative in areas for sustainability and energy efficiency. Both in the
with strict environmental standards. Furthermo- design and construction phases, environmental,
re, a first successful test was carried out with the social and economic sustainability performance
Fundex F4800E in the city of Leiden. is taken into account to create a working environ-
ment for companies that want to reduce their en-
Fundex worked here together with Greener and vironmental impact, just like Fundex, Greener and
Dura Vermeer Bouw Zuid. The foundation work Dura Vermeer. Construction started electrically on
was carried out using a zero-emission drilling rig. July 24.
The F4800E was equipped with a vibration-free The Fundex CD20E is an
drill so that the immediate neighbors were taken Davy Maes, Managing Director FUNDEX: “We emission-free foundation
into account. “Zero-emission foundation machines have been working on making all our light and machine that is ideally sui-
will play a decisive role in realizing construction heavy foundation machines more sustainable
projects,” says Davy Maes, CEO at Funderingstech- ted for use on locations. The
for some time now and have seen in the last few
niek Verstraeten, the group’s specialist in soil-dis- years that we are actually receiving orders for
machine can install different
placing, vibration-free techniques. this. Collaboration with the customer, but also types of piles in places
the suppliers of batteries, software and specific where space or height is
FUNDEX® and TUBEX® are two brands of which knowledge of electrification and connections is limited.
the Fundex group is 100% owner and they therefo- a must. Less noise causes less nuisance in an
re symbolize the innovative power of the company. inner-city area and results in a completely dif-
Davy Maes: “A number of foundation companies ferent experience of construction work in the li-
around the world are allowed to make Fundex and ving environment. We are on the right path in the
Tubex piles, as long as the correct drilling points foundation industry and will certainly be ready to
are used and purchased through us. This results in meet the 2030, 2040 and 2050 ESG guidelines!
a certain minimum quality level, necessary to give On to a cleaner construction site!”
these pile types the name Fundex or Tubex. Over
the years we continue to improve our products and
we are seen in the market as the specialist in the

[Link] INFO@[Link] FUNDEX VERSTRAETEN BV

FUNDEX FOUNDATIONS BV
Kustlaan 118, Brugsevaart 6,
8380 Zeebrugge (B) 4501 NE, Oostburg (NL)
DE MOL | ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 +32 50 899 112 12
+31 (0) 117 457575
“Verdraaid goed in funderen!”
 Amsterdam
Delft
Eindhoven

Renew Geotechnical Risk

Engineering Assessments
from the – –
ground up Soil investigation
Foundations and ground structures
Condition surveys
Sound and Vibration predictions

+
Construction pits Deformation analysis
Bored tunnels and trenchless tech. Damage predictions
State-of-the-art dike verification Monitoring plans
Low subsidence or sub. free systems Monitoring and supervising
Dynamics and earthquakes Damage investigations

Ground Hydrogeology
Improvement –
– Dewatering and pumping tests
Groundwater statistics and climate
Permeation grouting Infrastructure constructions
Jet grouting Sustainability and construction
Mixed-in-place Risk Assessments and monitoring
Compensation grouting (compaction) Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES)
Compensation grouting (fracture) Geochemistry
Ground freezing

Environmental Subsurface
– Energy (ATES)
Environmental soil and water studies
(Re)usability of soil and construction
–
materials Energy sheet pile
info@[Link] CSM-wall
Working in contaminated soil
+31 (0)20 4943070 Environmental supervising ATES (BRL 11000)
[Link] Consulting on asbestos remediation

13 ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 | DE MOL

 and cons. I now work for CRUX Engineering, a consultancy
firm. For me this is the best of all worlds because it
allows me to work with a variety of clients. During my time
here I have worked for contractors, local and national
governments, water authorities and many more types of
clients. My personal preference, and I did now expect this
when I was still studying, is working for contractors. What
I like about contractors is the interaction between theory
and practice and that it gives you opportunity to see your
design in execution. This is one of the things that you learn
from most, seeing how things are built in real life. This
experience highlights the differences of the theoretical

Bob van Amsterdam

design and real-world execution, these two are never
exactly the same somehow.

Hi everyone,
Until now I have been working on many different types of
geotechnical projects, mainly focusing on soil-structure
I’m Bob van Amsterdam and I work as a Geotechnical
interaction. The project range from design tunnels next to
Consultant at CRUX Engineering. Around 5 year ago I
and under monumental buildings, quay walls, underground
graduated from the TU Delft in the subject of soil-structure
parking garages and foundations of high-rise buildings to
interaction, which is still my primary area of interest. After bridges and design of infrastructural projects for railways
more than 5 year of experience working as a geotechnical and highways. While I was studying one of my goals was to
consultant this is a good moment to reflect on my initial work on international projects in the future. Lately I finally
expectations from when I was studying compared to the have been given the opportunity to do this. I’ve provided a
reality of my professional life. second opinion on a building pit in Kenya with a retaining
height of 32.5 meters and six layers of anchor rows, and I’m
At TU Delft, the focus is largely on theoretical knowledge, currently reviewing a breakwater project in Curaçao. I hope
with the expectation that practical skills, how important I will get the chance to visit one of these projects when the
they may be, you will develop during your career. When I execution of these projects start.
was still studying I was sometimes doubtful because I have
the idea that I had limited understanding of real-world Don’t worry about feeling confined to an engineering role
applications. However, I now share that believe. Initially, it for your entire career. Many of my colleagues started
may seem disadvantage compared to more hands-on civil as engineers but discovered their interests in project
engineering programs, but the strong theoretical foundation management, sales, or programming. Most companies, like
you’re building is invaluable. At CRUX we believe that you CRUX, offer opportunities to explore various career paths,
can almost always make a great manager from an engineer, whether part-time or through a full transition. The most
but you can rarely make a great engineer from a manager. important thing is to find a company that gives you the
Profound technical knowledge is the basis of your future opportunities to develop your personal and technical skills
career as a geotechnical engineer or any other career you and I personally found that with CRUX Engineering.
wish to pursue within the technical world, which is exactly
what you are learning right now at the track of Geotechnical If you have become interested to work at CRUX
Engineering at the TU Delft. Keep this in mind when you are Engineering, do an internship at CRUX or if you want to talk
struggling with challenging subjects such as Advanced Soil about the possibilities to do your graduation thesis please

Mechanics or Geotechnical modelling. You are going to need don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Best of luck with the rest

it and it will come in handy. of your studies and I hope to connect with some of you
soon!

Once I got nearer towards my graduation date I started

thinking about for what type of company I wanted to start Regards,

working for, for example it could be consultancy firm, a

contractor or government. In my opinion each had its pros Bob

DE MOL | ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 14

 Renovating one of the busiest 
motorways in The Netherlands,
the A27

Remarkably, the road congestion in The

Netherlands is measured on national and
regional roads. Roads with the worst traffic
circulation are ranked in a list known as the
traffic-jam top-10. This ranking helps the
government identify and focus its investments
in road infrastructure. The A27 motorway,
particularly the stretch between Utrecht and
Breda, is consistently at the top of this list,
being one of the most congested in the
country. Figure 1. Aerial photo from the real scale test embankment

Rijkswaterstaat, the Dutch ministry of • Reinforced ground structures

infrastructure, aims to remove the A27 from • Safety assessment of levees
the traffic-jam top-10 and has already • Bridge foundations
commissioned projects to achieve this goal. • Assessing the influence of
The 47 km stretch is undergoing large-scale construction works on existing
renovation and modernisation, including structures
upgrades to the existing infrastructure.
Challenging soil conditions
ALSÉÉN, a consortium responsible for this
The route of the A27 runs predominantly
project, has geotechnical engineers from
through fluvial areas. The subsoil, extending to
Arthe Civil & Structure leading the
a depth of approximately 8 metres below the
geotechnical investigation and design. Our
surface, mainly consists of soft peat and clay
responsibilities include:
layers, combined with sand layers from
• Settlement and stability analysis of ancient river channels. This dominance of soft,
road embankments compressible soils presents a significant
• Earth retaining structures challenge for the project, particularly in
• Piled embankments managing the settlement behaviour of the
motorway over its lifespan.

Figure 2. Satellite data showing creep rate around the Merwede bridge
15 ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 | DE MOL
 Traditional geotechnical investigation Real-scale test embankment (proefterp)
methods, such as soil testing on-site and in From the outset, the poor soil conditions were
laboratories, are being employed. However, at identified as a major challenge for planning
Arthe, we have proposed and implemented and execution. To reduce uncertainties in the
two additional methods to enhance geotechnical design, a real-scale test
embankment settlement predictions and embankment was proposed. This
expedite the design process.  embankment was built in the same area as the
tallest expected road embankment and
Heatmap of settlement predictions
followed the same construction sequence. The
Using our Python developments and the
location was instrumented to collect data over
Building Information Modelling (BIM) model of
a year, which was then used to fine-tune soil
the A27, we extract the 3D road design and
parameters obtained from laboratory testing.
populate it with thousands of data points. For
each point, we determine the expected Mapping settlement behaviour of existing
settlements by comparing required design motorway 
elevation with the existing conditions. The At Arthe, we developed a Python-based tool
results are displayed in a colour-coded that uses satellite data (InSAR) to map and
heatmap, highlighting areas of concern. visualise the rate of settlement along the
This heatmap allows our geotechnical team to existing A27 motorway before any
visually identify critical areas, particularly in modifications were made. This innovative
complex geometries where existing road method provides an accurate understanding of
structures are being widened. The tool the background settlement rate. 
provides more detailed insights than
By processing and interpolating the data, we
traditional 2D calculations alone. Additionally,
can better understand the subsurface
it integrates with the soil survey data and
behaviour, which informs our geotechnical
automated settlement calculations, allowing
design. This data, for example, allows us to
us to quickly test different design solutions
test the Overconsolidation Ratio (OCR) of the
and identify potential issues. This efficient
soil beneath the motorway in relation to the
approach helps our engineers deliver an
creep behaviour of the subsoil.
optimal design in a shorter time.

Figure 3. Heatmap of settlement predictions

DE MOL | ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 16
 INTERNATIONAL GEO-CORNER

The New Terminal Extension at Damietta Port, Egypt

Author: Karim Abdel-Rahman infrastructure and the smooth functioning of between Europe, Asia, and Africa. Originally
global trade routes. built in 1986, Damietta Port has grown in sig-
In this edition of De Mol’s International nificance as global trade has increased.
Geo-Corner, we explore the new terminal
The new terminal expansion will triple the
extension at Damietta Port, Egypt—a project Project Overview
port’s container handling capacity to 3.5 mil-
that demonstrates the vital role of geotech- Damietta Port, located 10 km west of the Nile
lion TEUs annually. The addition of a 1,970-
nical engineering in supporting global trade River’s Damietta branch, is a vital component
berth with a depth of 18 meters will allow
infrastructure. This development boosts the of Egypt’s maritime infrastructure. Positioned
the port to handle the largest vessels, signifi-
port’s capacity to handle international ship- near the Suez Canal and connected to ma-
cantly boosting its role in international trade
ping, showcasing how essential geotechni- jor Egyptian cities like Cairo and Alexandria,
(The Arab Contractors, 2024). This expansion
cal work is to the construction of large-scale the port has become a critical hub for trade
17 ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 | DE MOL
will also provide a major economic boost to Challenges and Solutions
the region, generating more than 80,000 jobs
by 2038 (Ganic, 2023). The project is part of aOne of the key challenges during construc-
broader initiative to position Egypt as a lead-tion was dealing with the soft marine clay de-
ing logistics hub in the Mediterranean. posits at the site, which posed a risk of settle-
ment. To address this, specialized stabilization
techniques were used to ensure that the ter-
minal’s foundations remained secure. Dredg-
Geotechnical Aspects of the Project
ing operations also required careful planning
The geotechnical challenges of the Damiet- to limit the environmental impact on the sur-
ta Port extension were significant, involving rounding marine ecosystem, following strict
large-scale dredging, excavation, and ground regulations to protect the waters.
stabilization efforts. A significant volume of
In addition to the ground conditions, the
material was dredged from the seabed to
project faced challenges from unpredictable
deepen the basin to 18 meters, allowing the
weather, such as high winds and tidal chang-
port to accommodate larger ships and in-
es, which complicated the construction of
crease its operational capacity.
the breakwaters and quay walls. Despite
The presence of soft marine clay at the site these difficulties, the project stayed on track
presented additional challenges, requiring through a combination of thoughtful engi-
careful management to ensure the stability neering and solid project management.
of the terminal’s foundations.
Onshore, around 920,000 square meters
Conclusion
were prepared for the rear yard, which is used
for container storage (Hapag-Lloyd, 2022). The new terminal extension at Damietta Port al-consortium-backs-damietta-port-develop-
Deep foundation piles were constructed to marks a significant step forward for Egypt’s ment-program/
support the heavy infrastructure required for role in global maritime logistics. With the
the terminal, ensuring stability under the op- Hapag-Lloyd. (2022, May 10). „Damietta Alli-
expansion, the port’s capacity will grow sub-
erational loads expected at such a large-scale ance“ developing and operating a new con-
stantially, reinforcing its importance in inter-
facility. These foundations play a crucial role national trade. tainer terminal in Damietta, Egypt. Retrieved
in supporting the terminal’s equipment and October 7, 2024, from Hapag-Lloyd: https://
structures. By tackling tough ground conditions and [Link]/en/company/press/
environmental challenges, this project high- releases/2022/05/-damietta-alliance--devel-
Ground improvement techniques, such as lights just how essential geotechnical engi- oping-and-operating-a-new-container-ter.
vibro-compaction, were applied to enhance neering is to large-scale infrastructure. html
the soil’s strength, ensuring the area could
handle the demands of container storage The Arab Contractors. (2024). New Contain-
and operations without risk of settlement. References er Terminal (Tahya Misr 1) in Damietta Port
Additionally, coastal protection measures, in- - Egypt. Retrieved October 7, 2024, from
cluding the construction of breakwaters and Ganic, E. (2023, December 25). International [Link]: [Link]
revetments, were implemented to safeguard consortium backs Damietta Port develop- english/project-778
the port from erosion and other environmen- ment program. Retrieved October 3, 2024,
tal impacts, ensuring long-term resilience from [Link]: [Link]
against the elements. [Link]/2023/12/25/internation-

DE MOL | ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 18

 DE MOL | ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025
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Dispuut Geo-Engineering ‘De Ondergrondse’, Board 18
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19 ISSUE 1 - 2024/2025 | DE MOL