Pieter Rauwoens

Pieter Rauwoens is a Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering within the Faculty of Engineering Technology at KU Leuven. His work focuses on coastal engineering, hydraulics, and sustainable material applications, particularly in dune dynamics and nature-based coastal defense systems. He leads multiple long-term projects and serves as promotor for interdisciplinary research initiatives.

• Coastal & Ocean Basin (COB) wind tunnel system development
• Sustainable sand management for hybrid dune-dike systems
• Vegatation impact on coastal dune stability
• Supplementary cementitious materials from recycled aggregates

His research integrates field monitoring, numerical simulations, and laboratory experiments to address coastal resilience challenges under climate change. Key methodologies include CFD modeling, sediment transport analysis, and material reactivity studies.

Current research trends emphasize:

• Hybrid blue-grey coastal defense systems
• Mechanochemical activation of recycled materials
• Wave-structure interactions around monopiles
• Aeolian transport dynamics in vegetated dunes
• Sustainable sediment management
• Climate adaptation infrastructure