Graduation Thesis Subsea Rock Installation

As a graduation student within Tender & Engineering, you will work on a research question from our Subsea Rock Installation department. The assignment focuses on improving our understanding of rock installation and supporting the development of future installation solutions. The assignment combines computational modelling in Gorinchem with physical scale testing in Moerdijk. You will work with specialists and use your findings to improve our engineering knowledge and future equipment design.

You are curious about how physical processes can be understood and improved through engineering and simulation. You enjoy working with complex problems and are interested in testing whether theoretical results match what happens in practice. You can work independently and communicate your findings clearly with others. For this graduation assignment, we are looking for someone with:

A Master student in the Civil Engineering, Offshore Engineering or something similar.

An interest in subsea engineering, offshore installation or engineering design

An analytical approach to technical or project related challenges

The ability to structure research and communicate clear conclusions

You will join Tender & Engineering in Gorinchem and work with specialists in Subsea Rock Installation. You will see how engineering knowledge is applied to equipment and vessels used for offshore projects. Your work will connect numerical simulations with physical testing, in Moerdijk, and practical engineering questions. You will have the opportunity to learn from experienced colleagues and discuss your findings with people who understand the challenges of subsea operations.

At Van Oord, we build the future together. We work on complex projects where engineering, technology and teamwork come together. Your research can help us develop the next generation of solutions for offshore wind and subsea rock installation.

We offer you the opportunity to contribute to real engineering challenges that impact our global project. In addition, we offer:

A graduation internship allowance

Intensive supervision from experienced engineers

Communities to join, such as Young Van Oord, Van Oord Women, and the Van Oord staff association

Your research will help us make better engineering decisions for subsea rock installation. You will investigate complex interactions between rocks, equipment and water and translate your findings into useful engineering parameters. The exact focus is still to be determined, but you will combine simulations with practical validation. You will analyse results, compare them with scale model tests and identify what they mean for future designs. Your work will contribute to improving the reliability and development of subsea rock installation solutions. You will work on:

Investigating the interaction between rock grading and subsea rock installation equipment

Using DEM, possibly in combination with CFD, simulations to study rock behaviour and particle fluid interactions

Designing, executing and analysing scale model tests to validate simulation results

Assessing different rock sizes, shapes and gradings and their effect on installation behaviour

Translating research findings into parameters or recommendations for future engineering designs