The Subsurface as an Invisible Risk Factor: Infrastructure Projects Collide with the Limits of Feasibility
The subsurface plays a crucial but often underestimated role in Dutch infrastructure projects. This is evident from research by organizational scientist Evelijn Martinius, who explored how these projects are managed in practice. Her conclusion: what is called project management on paper is, in reality, primarily about risk control.
In many underground infrastructure projects—such as pipelines for water, gas, electricity, and data—the subsurface is viewed as a threat that must be controlled, rather than as an integral part of the project. Various parties are responsible for clearly defined segments of the work, each with their own budget, schedule, and performance agreements. As a result, an overarching view is often lacking. No one looks at the whole picture—let alone at the subsurface as a coherent system.
These problems are becoming more pressing as the Netherlands faces a major replacement challenge: much of the infrastructure is outdated and urgently needs to be renovated or rebuilt. But this is becoming less and less self-evident. Resources are scarce, risks are high, and the limits of the belief that "everything is manageable" are becoming increasingly apparent.
Martinius argues that scientists and project leaders should take a more realistic approach to the stubborn realities of the field. That starts with simpler but effective measures, such as early soil investigations and physical inspections of construction sites—because much remains hidden on drawings. Additionally, strategic decision-makers and policymakers should give more consideration to what lies beneath the surface in their spatial planning visions.
According to Martinius, the time has come to stop treating the subsurface merely as a risk and start recognizing it as a full-fledged player in the game of infrastructure and urban development. Only then can we effectively tackle the complex challenges of the future.