Wave Transformation Through Mangrove Coasts: A Model Study with XBeach-Surfbeat

Coastal defense mechanisms are an integral part in the safety of infrastructure and communities residing on coastlines around the globe. In long temporal and spatial scales, traditional “hard structures” for coastal defense can become infeasible. Incorporation of soft engineering methods for coastal defense can then be a viable solution....

Coral Restoration for Coastal Hazard Risk Reduction: The effect of coral restoration on wave transformation over various reef morphologies and the resulting runup

Coral reefs are degrading at an alarming rate, affecting not only the precarious coral ecosystem but also human habitat. The combination of coral degradation, sea level rise and its exacerbated effect in the tropics, and the possible storm intensification increases the flood vulnerability of low-lying tropical islands. To protect reef fronted...

Present and future coastal safety assessment of 'De Slufter' anticipating sea level rise and coastal management changes: Modelling the effects of a natural coastal management strategy on the morphodynamic development and coastal safety of De Slufter on Texel with XBeach Surfbeat

'De Slufter' is a nature conservation area located in the Northwest of the Dutch Wadden island Texel which is inundated with seawater during storm events. The landward side of De Slufter is a sand dike which is part of the primary coastal defence ring of the island. HHNK, which is responsible for the coastal safety of Texel, currently relocates...

Wave runup on fringing reefs with paleo-stream channels

Many tropical coastlines are fronted by coral reefs and are increasingly exposed to wave attack and wave-driven marine flooding. This problem demands immediate attention as safe habitability of and social and economic activity in reef-lined coastal regions are under serious threat, while these regions are known to have some of the world’s...

Numerical Modelling of Beach Recovery Following a Storm Event: A Hybrid Behavioural / Process-Based Approach

The present thesis describes the development of a hybrid behavioural / process-based and wave-averaged model (XBeach Surfbeat) that successfully predicts the recovery of the subaerial beach at Narrabeen Beach, Australia, following a severe storm erosion in April 2015. Two model innovations were developed. Firstly, a behavioural model was...

Investigating Uncertainty in Coastal Flood Risk Assessment in Small Island Developing States: A Case Study in São Tomé and Príncipe

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are increasingly under threat of coastal flooding, which challenges the safety of their societies and vulnerable economies. The emergency of this issue, exacerbated by climate change, has alarmed international organisations and national governments that have been demanding for robust risk assessments to...