Modelling long-term morphodynamic evolution of mega-nourishments

Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

The potential risk induced by climate change in the context of mega-nourishments

Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Long-term and large-scale modeling of mega-nourishments

The Sand Engine, ZM (Zandmotor), is a hook-shaped mega-nourishment (21.5 millions m³) located on the Dutch coast with an alongshore length of 2.4 km and an offshore extension of 1 km. The mega-nourishment project was initiated as a coastal protection measure on decadal time scales to maintain the coastline under predicted sea level rise. It follows the philosophy of working in harmony with the forces of nature by taking advantage of the longshore transport as the main distributor of sand along the adjacent coast (Stive et al., 2013). In the present contribution we use the Q2Dmorfo model (van den Berg, et al., 2012) to predict the long-term dynamics of the ZM.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

What we can learn from birdsong: Mainstreaming teleworking in a post-pandemic world

Many urban areas suffer from poor air quality as a consequence of high levels of car-based traffic. Even cities with well-developed multi-modal public transport networks and favourable conditions for alternative transportation, such as Barcelona, experience problems with air pollution. The restrictions imposed on movement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic offer insights into the collective social benefits of reduced traffic. This situation also provided much-needed evidence about teleworking that will indicate whether it could become a mainstream and institutionalised practice in certain professions. In Barcelona, the experience of a less polluted, quieter and more liveable city has inspired both the municipal government and the citizens to rethink the use of public spaces and look for ways to reduce car dependency. We argue that this unprecedented crisis is an opportunity to create a more sustainable future of work and mobility in cities in the post-pandemic world.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Amphibian survival compromised by long-term effects of chytrid fungus

publishedVersionPaid Open Acces

Amphibian survival compromised by long-term effects of chytrid fungus

publishedVersionPaid Open Acces

Testing simple models for street wind conditions in Barcelona

Street wind speed and direction drive models to estimate air quality levels at street scale. In this study, simple models are combined with a mesoscale meteorological model to provide wind conditions at street level. Then, wind speed and direction are evaluated using observations collected during an experimental campaign in April 2013 at street level in Barcelona, Spain. Overall, models considering street geometry give better estimates for both wind speed and direction than those assuming homogeneous terrain. For light winds, models tend to produce a large amount of error estimating wind direction