The largest wave generator in the world officially opened in the Netherlands this week, and although it wasn’t created for water park family fun, it’s pretty darn impressive. The Delta Flume is nearly 1,000-ft long, 16-ft wide, and over 30-ft deep. It was created by Dutch scientists studying storm preparations. With the machine, they can test (in as realistic a way as possible) the durability of storm mitigating techniques like boulder barriers, sand dunes, mud banks, and trees.
As you can see in the video above, water in the flume is pushed along by a 32-ft high wave-making wall that shoves it into huge waves, which batter a slope at the end of the structure. With each impact, scientists will be able to draw conclusions based on how the water affects the structure’s back wall. Amazing how simple it is, right?
According to the website, the Delta Flume is a versatile facility that can be used for numerous large-scale projects and studies concerning water movement and pressure, wave height, damage patterns, flow velocity, and more. The device works similar to a wave-machine at an amusement park, with a metal plate at one end creating a motion that spawns giant waves. If you’re keen to dive into the nitty gritty, check out the video below:
Hopefully, machines like this will help us prepare for the worst while informing ways to combat rising sea levels. What’s your reaction to this wave testing machine? Kinda want to get in it like we do? Let us know in the comments below.
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IMAGES: YouTube/Deltaresfilm/frederik ruys
