Climate change and extreme weather conditions : applications of geosynthetics securing flood defenses and coastal protection

This article presents an overview of climate change research, predictions of global sea level rise, the increasing effects on coastal and riverine areas all over the world and furthermore an extensive overview of geosynthetic applications for flood defenses and coastal protection. Sea level rise, an important consequence of climate change, will lead undeniably to increasing problems concerning the safety against flooding and major challenges in design and construction of embankments. Where coastal and riverine areas are highly populated or have high economic value (business areas/industrial sites), flood protection schemes will require increasing efforts and capital investments. For climate adaption of flood defenses the application of geosynthetics can be of major importance. Building with geosynthetics is highly sustainable and enables the use of local less suitable soils. This results in reducing the use of primary granular building material, limiting transport distances and most importantly: decreasing substantial CO2 emission. Other distinctive aspects are increasing construction speed, optimized building cost efficiency and reducing the amount of required space. Geosynthetics can be applied to ensure stability (embankments with reinforced soil and geogrids), top soil erosion control (3D structural mats, reinforced grass), coastal protection (sand-filled elements with bags, tubes or containers), controlling water level differences (drainage mats) or sealing levees (Geosynthetic Clay Liners - GCL). Implementing geosynthetics to meet one of these various functions to levees or coastal protection can give a considerable boost to the ambitions of global flood protection programs. For the big challenge to climate adaption geosynthetics will contribute to adapt safe and resilient living areas for humanity.