Everything flows

Photo: Bart van Overbeeke Timo van Overveld defended his PhD thesis cum laude at the Department of Applied Physics and Science Education on December 12th. Water is our constant companion here in the Netherlands. In order to predict how sand movements and erosion can impact our coastline, TU/e physicist Timo van Overveld studied how marbles react to being shaken back and forth in a box filled with water. Using this approach, he was able to develop a model that describes fundamental interactions between particles and the surrounding flow. His model is applicable in a wide range of fields. Whenever Timo van Overveld walks along the beach, he can't help but look at the ridges formed by the sand. The retreating sea leaves behind beautiful structures, especially at low tide.