Management Research Programme1 (CFRP)’s first Applied Research grant call, worth a total of $22 million. This was announced by Ms Goh Hanyan, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, at the Coastal Protection and Flood Resilience Institute (CFI) Singapore’s 2nd Annual Symposium.

The Applied Research grant call, launched at the Singapore International Water Week 2024, is part of PUB’s efforts to promote research collaboration with industry partners as well as cross-sector knowledge transfer for coastal protection and flood management. PUB received a total of 47 proposals for the grant call, with two-thirds of the proposals involving collaboration between Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and industry players. The proposals were evaluated based on several criteria such as practical applications within Singapore’s context, level of innovation, ideas to monetise and retain value in Singapore, as well as alignment to national policy such as the Singapore Green Plan 2030.

The CFRP’s Applied Research grant aims to tap on solutions from adjacent sectors and the industry for coastal protection and flood management applications, focusing on solutions with higher technology readiness and potential for near-term adoption. The 14 projects span five focus areas, each with the aim to identify and plug the current knowledge gaps in coastal protection and flood management in Singapore’s context. These solutions include coastal protection measures that utilise recycled waste, and the development of monitoring technologies for coastal protection structures (refer to Annex A for the full list of awarded projects). The five focus areas are:

      a. Sustainable Materials for Coastal Protection Infrastructure 
      b. Smart Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) System for Coastal Infrastructure
      c. Comprehensive Decision Matrix for Adaptive Coastal Protection Planning
      d. Innovative Engineering Solutions for Coastal Protection and Flood Management
      e. Innovative Monitoring Techniques for Sediment Transport

Sustainable Materials for Coastal Protection Infrastructure

This project is led by Pan-United Concrete, a subsidiary of Pan-United Corporation, which is a global leader in low-carbon concrete technologies. Working in partnership with the Nanyang Technological University of Singapore (NTU), Pan-United aims to develop lightweight low-carbon concrete using cold-bonded aggregate produced from waste materials and injected with industrial waste carbon dioxide. It could be used to retrofit existing coastal protection measures or in new coastal protection measures to achieve greater adaptability due to its lightweight property. This novel approach demonstrates how coastal resilience can be enhanced while advancing resource circularity.

Smart Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) System for Coastal Infrastructure

5 This project addresses a fundamental challenge in how coastal structures can be effectively inspected periodically as they age. Current structural health monitoring relies on manual inspections, which are labour-intensive and limited by accessibility and safety issues. The National University of Singapore (NUS) is partnering BeeX and Delta Marine Consultants to revolutionise this process. BeeX is a homegrown small-medium enterprise (SME) that has a track record of developing autonomous underwater inspection capabilities. The project team will combine autonomous robots with underwater Non-Destructive Testing techniques to deliver more accurate and efficient underwater structural inspections, thereby improving protection of Singapore’s coastal infrastructure. This enables more sustainable inspection practices in the longer run which also enhances safety.

Innovative Engineering Solutions for Coastal Protection and Flood Management

This project aims to attenuate wave energy while creating a natural environment to support marine biodiversity. It also upcycles food waste shells as partial substitutes for conventional rock armours and utilises waste materials such as good earth soil and marine clay. The Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore (TCOMS) is leading the project with their partners Surbana Jurong (SJ Group) and Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI), leveraging on their deep understanding of coastal environment, as well as TCOMS’ advanced cyber-physical modelling capabilities and SJ Group’s proven expertise in executing complex coastal engineering projects.

Following the completion of these Applied Research projects, the solutions could transition to CFRP’s Living Lab programme for additional pilot testing and potential commercialisation.

Ms Hazel Khoo, PUB’s Director of Coastal Protection, said: “The award of these Applied Research projects represents a significant milestone for PUB in advancing our R&D journey for coastal protection and flood management in Singapore. By working together with the industry and academia, we are not only developing innovative solutions against sea level rise but also advancing knowledge and skillsets of our partners to eventually adopt solutions that are adaptive, sustainable and cost-effective for actual implementation. We look forward to successful proof-of-concepts that will contribute to address Singapore’s coastal protection and flood management challenges.”

CFI Singapore Making Good Progress

Launched in September 2023 under the CFRP, CFI Singapore is the Centre of Excellence which conducts fundamental research, builds local capabilities, and helps PUB to determine the focus areas for Applied Research and Living Lab. The Institute and its partners have made good progress on 17 research projects, ranging from coastal modelling and forecasting capabilities to innovative engineering and hybrid solutions (refer to media factsheet for updates on selected research projects). CFI Singapore has also trained over 90 researchers and students to date, nurturing the next generation of coastal protection and flood management specialists.

Research and development play a critical role in building Singapore’s capability to address challenges from rising sea levels and climate change. PUB will look to commence the next tranche of core research projects with CFI Singapore and kickstart test-bedding of solutions under the CFRP’s Living Lab in 2026.

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