Quantifying the Influence of Salt Marshes on Wave Run-Up on a Dike During Extreme Wave Conditions

An Experimental Study

Master thesis (2024)

Authors

S.H. Lakerveld Civil Engineering & Geosciences

Contributors

A. Antonini Coastal Engineering - CEG (mentor)
Bas Hofland Hydraulic Structures and Flood Risk - CEG (graduation committee member)
D. Dermentzoglou Coastal Engineering - CEG (graduation committee member)
J.R.M. Muller University of Twente (graduation committee member)
Faculty
Civil Engineering & Geosciences, Civil Engineering & Geosciences
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Published Date

27-05-2024

Language

English

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Faculty

Civil Engineering & Geosciences

Abstract

Salt Marshes are a coastal ecosystem which have numerous benefits as coastal defense such as wave attenuation and can adapt to sea level rise. Wave flume tests, using a scale model of a cross-section of a salt marsh adjacent to a dike, were conducted in the Hydraulic Laboratory, to quantify the effectiveness of such a salt marsh system as flood defense (part of the Living Dikes research program).

This thesis focuses on the reduction in wave run-up due to salt marshes on the adjacent dike, with a focus on high water levels. The wave run-up was measured using video processing, using a newly created algorithm to track the water movement on the dike slope. The results show a significant reduction in wave run-up due to wave attenuation over the salt marsh, further dependent on the presence of vegetation and the water depth on top of the salt marsh. The measured wave run-up values show some differences with values acquired using the TAW/EurOtop wave run-up formula. There is a correlation found with the wave steepness, where waves with a lower wave steepness do match the equation, and show a larger deviation for increasingly higher wave steepnesses.