Case Study: Wenduine, Belgium: Vulnerability of buildings on a coastal dike

On coastal dikes in Belgium, many residential buildings are found. Most of the old buildings are masonry structures with two to three floors (Figure 1). The ground floors are always elevated (Figure 2), and the entrances of the basements are closed by shutters (Figure 3). The most modern buildings are concrete reinforcement structures with concrete piles/columns as foundations. The walls are consisting of masonry or concrete. These buildings are 5 to 9 floors high. Some of the ground floors are elevated, and some are used as cafe, restaurant or store. The ground floors are equipped with large glass windows and doors.