A modern flood control is a sustainable flood protection. The sustainability here is more a result of the variety of potentially available different protection types, than an outcome associated with the goal orientated content. In order to verify the sustainability of flood protection measures, a suitable project evaluation is needed. Sustainability is represented only then, when it embraces analysis and integrated assessment of all environmental effects. Most of the previous projects used a cost-based evaluation, only some included estimations of damage reductions, when information was available. Only few studies selected some additional parameters using an evaluation. Existing project evaluation processes are not sufficient to prove sustainability of a project, until further effects and parameters are not included in the evaluation and their potential influence is not unified. The aim of this work is to develop a methodology for quantifying sustainability of flood protection measures. The main purpose of this research is to develop a comprehensive project evaluation, which would embrace, analyze and unify all relevant environmental effects. The integrated project evaluation of being sustainable is based on two interrelated sub-models. Sub-model 1 (modular sustainability model) is a tool, which combines science-based methods and algorithms for a comprehensive and complete environmental analysis. It represents the core of the integrated project evaluation. Sub-model 1 will show all relevant processes, which have influence on the environment, based on the analysis and defined types of measures, which are influenced by environmental effects. The target of this sub-model is to build a comprehensive project evaluation tool, based on rational methods and algorithms. At this juncture, one finds out, that a complete and rational evaluation of environmental effects of flood protection measures is limited. Restricted information and data during the planning of the projects and special environmental effects, which are not or only partly detected with scientific methods, impede a comprehensive analysis. In order to get an integrated complete project evaluation, a sub-model 2 (modified project valuation model) has been developed. This allows to cover the missing information about environmental effects using the results of sub-model 1 and including project-related experts. For this a methodology is developed that can handle a variety of preferences for each environmental effect to get the most representative and stable value. The sustainability of flood protection measures is directly quantifiable in the summary of results of both sub-models. Thus, there is a possibility to assess sustainability of individual projects, as well as to compare the sustainability of different alternatives and options. The integrated sustainability model allows assessing sustainability of flood protection measures. The applicability of the model is demonstrated in two case studies. With the help of the integrated sustainability model sustainable flood protections can become a direct proof for sustainable project development and not only be indicated as different forms of protection.
«A modern flood control is a sustainable flood protection. The sustainability here is more a result of the variety of potentially available different protection types, than an outcome associated with the goal orientated content. In order to verify the sustainability of flood protection measures, a suitable project evaluation is needed. Sustainability is represented only then, when it embraces analysis and integrated assessment of all environmental effects. Most of the previous projects used a cos...
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