Polder Method of Land Reclamation

Land reclamation via dykes with embankment barriers are traditional Dutch methods of land reclamation.

Land reclamation is being carried out in the following ways:

  1. A dyke is being built around that is needed to be reclaimed
  2. Sea water is being drained out of the reclaimed area
  3. A low lying tract called polder, emerges.
  4. The polder is separated from the sea by the dyke.
  5. Certain areas of the around the reclaimed areas will be kept as water bodies
  6. The polder then can functions by controlling the water level in it through network of drains and pumps.

The video below show Singapore’s first polder development project on Pulau Tekong. This project initiative is part of Singapore’s government trying to reduce the amount of sand used for land reclamation. Watch the video for more information

Using Incinerated Waste as a form as Land Reclamation

Have you ever wondered, instead of sand, can we use rubbish to create new islands? Pulau Semakau is the world’s first offshore man-made landfill.

Pulau Semakau has been constructed in the following ways:
  1. Rock bund was created to confine a part of the sea between two small islands
  2. The rock bund is surfaced with impermeable membrane and a layer of marine clay
  3.  Internal sand bunds were created
  4. Off-shore facilities such as: Wharf, Transfer Buildings, etc
  5.  Before a tipping cell is activated, seawater is pumped out and the pipes are sealed.
  6.  Compacted waste is then being discharged into the tipping cell
The local government has also taken effective measures to alleviate the impact of the landfill by:
  • Transferring  and transplating colonies of coral reefs to Sister’s Island
  • Catching and transferring fishes to the open sea

Once the Pulau Semakau landfill is filled, Pulau Semakau will be transformed (and is currently transforming) into a island for renewable power storage with micro-grids that provide decentralised power to communities without proper access to electricity

However, it is important to note incineration of refuse is harmful as it releases dioxins which impacts human’s health negatively. Furthermore, the some of the marine life may be unknowingly killed and plunge into near-extinction.

Prefabrication as a means for urban development

Prefabrication is the process where pre-constructed modules are transported and assembled at construction sites. Projects that utilises the prefabrication style results in faster completion time, reduced cost, reduced unwanted wastage of construction materials and high risk of the construction workers. Most of the time prefabrication are closely linked steel and dry construction, which significantly reduces the reliance on sand between 40% -100%. As shown in this video, you will be able to understand the immense speed of construction of this building.

Machine converts marine clay into sand-like particles

Once despised as waste, Logistics Holdings Limited have developed an on site technology that transform marine clay into sand for construction purposes. Companies can expect savings of 30% compared to normal sand.

 Generating sands from glass bottles

 

 

How interesting could you get when you drink alcohol and save the planets simultaneously? A New Zealand company has came out with an innovative solution to generate sand from used glass bottle. The company’s initial goal is to produce 100 tonnes of sand from 500, 000 bottles. See how this company does it.