Accuracy of visual inspection of flood defences

Visual inspections of flood defenses, the primary method for prioritizing maintenance, exhibit significant variability in detection accuracy and damage severity classification. A study involving 22 inspectors examining four sections of Dutch Water Defence Lines revealed that the Probability of Detection (PoD) varies substantially by both damage type and inspector, with over half of registered damages misclassified in terms of severity compared to a reference standard. This inconsistency likely stems from complex inspection guidelines and task definitions, potentially leading to incorrect maintenance measures and increased flood risk. The study recommends simplifying inspection protocols and focusing on the most critical damage types to improve accuracy and risk-based asset management.

Klerk, W. J., Kanning, W., Kok, M., Bronsveld, J., & Wolfert, A. R. M. (2021). Accuracy of visual inspection of flood defences. Structure and Infrastructure Engineering, 19(8), 1076–1090. https://doi.org/10.1080/15732479.2021.2001543