Journal of Marine Science and Engineering — Open Access Journal

Armor stability formulas for mound breakwaters are commonly based on 2D small-scale physical tests conducted in non-overtopping and non-breaking conditions. However, most of the breakwaters built around the world are located in breaking or partially-breaking wave conditions, where they must withstand design storms having some percentage of large waves breaking before they reach the structure. In these cases, the design formulas for non-breaking wave conditions are not fully valid. This paper describes the specific 2D physical model tests carried out to analyze the trunk hydraulic stability of single- and double-layer Cubipod^® armors in depth-limited regular wave breaking and non-overtopping conditions with horizontal foreshore (m = 0) and armor slope (α) with cotα = 1.5. An experimental methodology was established to ensure that 100 waves attacked the armor layer with the most damaging combination of wave height (H) and wave period (T) for the given water depth (h_s). Finally, for a given water depth, empirical formulas were obtained to estimate the Cubipod^® size which made the armor stable regardless of the deep-water wave storm. Full article

Most guidelines on wave overtopping over coastal structures are based on conditions with waves from one direction only. Here, wave basin tests with oblique wave attack are presented where waves from one direction are combined with waves from another direction. This is especially important for locations where wind waves approach a coastal structure under a specific direction while swell waves approach the coastal structure under another direction. The tested structure was a dike with a smooth and impermeable 1:4 slope. The test programme consisted of four types of wave loading: (1) Wind waves only: “sea” (approaching the structure with an angle of 45°), (2) Wind waves and swell waves from the same direction (45°), (3) Wind waves and swell waves, simultaneously from two different directions (45° and −45°, thus perpendicular to each other), and (4) Wind waves, simultaneously from two different directions (45° and −45°, thus perpendicular to each other). Existing guidelines on wave overtopping have been extended to predict wave overtopping discharges under the mentioned types of wave loading (oblique sea and swell conditions). Full article

In view of the widespread damage to coastal bridges during recent tsunamis (2004 Indian Ocean and 2011 in Japan) large-scale hydrodynamic experiments of tsunami wave impact on a bridge with open girders were conducted in the Large Wave Flume at Oregon State University. The main objective was to decipher the tsunami overtopping process and associated demand on the bridge and its structural components. As described in this paper, a comprehensive analysis of the experimental data revealed that: (a) tsunami bores introduce significant slamming forces, both horizontal (Fh) and uplift (Fv), during impact on the offshore girder and overhang; these can govern the uplift demand in connections; (b) maxFh and maxFv do not always occur at the same time and contrary to recommended practice the simultaneous application of maxFh and maxFv at the center of gravity of the deck does not yield conservative estimates of the uplift demand in individual connections; (c) the offshore connections have to withstand the largest percentage of the total induced deck uplift among all connections; this can reach 91% and 124% of maxFv for bearings and columns respectively, a finding that could explain the damage sustained by these connections and one that has not been recognized to date; (e) the generation of a significant overturning moment (OTM) at the initial impact when the slamming forces are maximized, which is the main reason for the increased uplift in the offshore connections; and (f) neither maxFv nor maxOTM coincide always with the maximum demand in each connection, suggesting the need to consider multiple combinations of forces with corresponding moments or with corresponding locations of application in order to identify the governing scenario for each structural component. In addition the paper presents “tsunami demand diagrams”, which are 2D envelopes of (Fh, Fv) and (OTM, Fv) and 3D envelopes of (Fh, Fv, OTM), as visual representations of the complex variation of the tsunami loading. Furthermore, the paper reveals the existence of a complex bridge inundation mechanism that consists of three uplift phases and one downward phase, with each phase maximizing the demand in different structural components. It then develops a new physics-based methodology consisting of three load cases, which can be used by practicing engineers for the tsunami design of bridge connections, steel bearings and columns. The findings in this paper suggest the need for a paradigm shift in the assessment of tsunami risk to coastal bridges to include not just the estimation of total tsunami load on a bridge but also the distribution of this load to individual structural components that are necessary for the survival of the bridge. Full article

Harmful algal blooms are responsible worldwide for the contamination of fishery resources, with potential impacts on seafood safety and public health. Most coastal countries rely on an intense monitoring program for the surveillance of toxic algae occurrence and shellfish contamination. The present study investigates the use of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for the rapid in situ determination of cell concentrations of toxic algae in seawater. The paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxin-producing dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum was selected for this study. The spectral modeling by partial least squares (PLS) regression based on the recorded NIR spectra enabled the building of highly accurate (R² = 0.92) models for cell abundance. The models also provided a good correlation between toxins measured by the conventional methods (high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD)) and the levels predicted by the PLS/NIR models. This study represents the first necessary step in investigating the potential of application of NIR spectroscopy for algae bloom detection and alerting. Full article

This article is based on recent work intended to estimate the impact of solar forcing mediated by long-period ocean Rossby waves that are resonantly forced—the ‘Gyral Rossby Waves’ (GRWs). Here, we deduce both the part of the anthropogenic and climate components within the instrumental surface temperature spatial patterns. The natural variations in temperature are estimated from a weighted sum of sea surface temperature anomalies in preselected areas of subtropical gyres representative of long-period GRWs. The temperature response to anthropogenic forcing is deduced by subtracting the climate component from the instrumental temperature. Depending on whether the inland regions are primarily impacted by latent or sensible heat fluxes from the oceans, positive feedbacks occur. This suggests that the lapse rate and the high troposphere cloud cover have a driving role in the amplification effect of anthropogenic climate forcing, while specifying the involved mechanisms. Full article

Breakwaters influence coastal wave climate and circulation by blocking and dissipating wave energy. In a large harbor, these effects are combined with wave generation, refraction and reflection. Accurate representation of these processes is essential to the determination of coastal circulation and wave processes. MIKE21SW and SWAN are two third-generation spectral wave models which are used widely in coastal research and engineering applications. Recently improved versions of the models are able to consider the influence of breakwater structures. In this study, we used available observations to evaluate the accuracy of model simulations of waves in New Haven Harbor, Connecticut, USA, an estuary with three detached breakwaters near the mouth. The models were executed on their optimum unstructured triangular grid. The boundary conditions were derived from a bottom mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP) on the offshore side of the breakwaters. Wind forcing was applied using data from the Central Long Island Sound buoy. We found that both models were largely consistent with observations during storms. However, MIKE21SW predicted some of storm peaks slightly better. SWAN required the finer grid to achieve the optimum condition, but as it uses a fast, fully implicit algorithm, the computational times were similar. Also, the sensitivity analysis represents that wind forcing and the breakwaters have significant impact on the results. Full article

Geochronologies derived from sediment cores in coastal locations are often used to infer event bed characteristics such as deposit thicknesses and accumulation rates. Such studies commonly use naturally occurring, short-lived radioisotopes, such as Beryllium-7 (⁷Be) and Thorium-234 (²³⁴Th), to study depositional and post-depositional processes. These radioisotope activities, however, are not generally represented in sediment transport models that characterize coastal flood and storm deposition with grain size patterns and deposit thicknesses. We modified the Community Sediment Transport Modeling System (CSTMS) to account for reactive tracers and used this capability to represent the behavior of these short-lived radioisotopes on the sediment bed. This paper describes the model and presents results from a set of idealized, one-dimensional (vertical) test cases. The model configuration represented fluvial deposition followed by periods of episodic storm resuspension. Sensitivity tests explored the influence on seabed radioisotope profiles by the intensities of bioturbation and wave resuspension and the thickness of fluvial deposits. The intensity of biodiffusion affected the persistence of fluvial event beds as evidenced by ⁷Be. Both resuspension and biodiffusion increased the modeled seabed inventory of ²³⁴Th. A thick fluvial deposit increased the seabed inventory of ⁷Be and ²³⁴Th but mixing over time greatly reduced the difference in inventory of ²³⁴Th in fluvial deposits of different thicknesses. Full article

Mound breakwaters with significant overtopping rates in depth-limited conditions are common in practice due to social concern about the visual impact of coastal structures and sea level rise due to climatic change. For overtopped mound breakwaters, the highest waves pass over the crest producing armor damage, not only to the front slope, but also to the crest and the rear slope. To guarantee the breakwater stability, it is necessary to limit the armor damage in the three parts of the structure: Front slope, crest, and rear slope. This paper describes the hydraulic stability of the armor layer of medium and low-crested structures in wave breaking conditions. Small-scale physical model tests were carried out with different relative crest freeboards and three armor units: Rocks, cubes, and Cubipods. The armor damage progression in the front slope, crest, and rear slope was analyzed using the Virtual Net method to consider the heterogeneous packing and porosity evolution along the armor slope. A comparison is provided between the hydraulic stability of the different armors and their relationship with the measured overtopping volumes. Full article

Ships are usually under vibration, impact, and other kinds of static and dynamic loads. These loads arise from water flow across the hull or surfaces, the propeller cavitation, and so on. For optimal design purposes and reliable performance, experimental measurements are necessary. These sensors are often used under or near the water, working conditions that improve the risk of sensor damage. This paper aims at investigating, by the use of finite elements, the behavior of damaged piezoelectric sensors under traction and impact loads. The numerical method was calibrated using results available in the literature regarding piezoelectric and elastic plates with a central crack. After calibration, the simulation was used on two types of Lead-Zirconium-Titanium oxide (PZT) sandwich panel structures reinforced by aluminum skins. The results proved that the damage size and impact energy are important factors affecting the response of piezoelectric sensors; therefore, special attention might be considered when using these sensors for marine applications. Full article

Numerous restoration projects are underway in Puget Sound, Washington, USA with the goal of re-establishing intertidal wetlands that were historically lost due to dike construction for flood protection and agricultural development. One such effort is the restoration effort within the Stillaguamish Delta, benefitting from the cumulative effects from the Leque Island and zis a ba restoration projects. The preferred restoration design calls for the removal of perimeter dikes at the two sites and the creation of tidal channels to facilitate the drainage of tidal flows. A 3-D high-resolution unstructured-grid coastal ocean model based on FVCOM was developed to evaluate the hydrodynamic response of the estuary to restoration alternatives. A series of hydrodynamic modeling simulations were then performed to quantify the hydrodynamic response of the nearshore restoration project, such as periodic inundation, suitable currents, and desired habitat/salinity levels. Sediment impacts were also examined, including the potential for excessive erosion or sedimentation requiring maintenance. Simulation results indicate that the preferred alternative scenario provides the desired estuarine response, which is consistent with the planned design. A decrease in velocities and bed shear in the main river channels was noted for the restored condition associated with the increased inundation of tidal flat area and reduced tidal flows through the main channels. High bed shear near the restored tidal channel entrances indicates that the inlets may evolve in size until equilibrium is established. Full article

Deployment of wave energy converters (WECs) relies on consistent and accurate wave resource characterization, which is typically achieved through numerical modeling using deterministic wave models. The accurate predictions of large-wave events are critical to the success of wave resource characterization because of the risk on WEC installation, maintenance, and damage caused by extreme sea states. Because wind forcing is the primary driver of wave models, the quality of wind data plays an important role in the accuracy of wave predictions. This study evaluates the sensitivity of large-wave prediction to different wind-forcing products, and identifies a feasible approach to improve wave model results through improved wind forcing. Using a multi-level nested-grid modeling approach, we perform a series of sensitivity tests at four representative National Data Buoy Center buoy locations on the U.S. East and West Coasts. The selected wind-forcing products include the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis global wind product and North American Regional Reanalysis regional wind product as well as the observed wind at the buoys. Sensitivity test results indicate a consistent improvement in model predictions for the large-wave events (e.g., >90th percentile of significant wave height) at all buoys when observed-wind data were used to drive the wave model simulations. Full article

Aeolian sediment transport on beaches is responsible for dune growth and/or recovery. Models predicting potential aeolian sediment transport rates often overpredict the amount of deposition on the foredune when applied to narrow (<100 m) beaches, pointing to supply limitations. Our goal is to better understand these limitations, especially in the long-term (>years) in order to improve predicted transport volumes and the timing of transport. Here, we used 8 years of Argus video images at Egmond aan Zee, The Netherlands, in combination with routine weather data to delineate 241 limited from 467 unlimited sand transport events to explore supply-limiting factors. Our research shows that the wind is more oriented to the west (shore normal) and is generally stronger for limited transport events. This indicates that the available fetch distance is often less than the critical fetch needed for unlimited transport. This is further confirmed by the timing of the transport events, as limited events often became unlimited during low tide when the beach was the widest and fetch potentially the longest. Our results help understanding the nature of aeolian sediment transport on narrow beaches, which will hopefully lead to better predictions of annual aeolian sediment transport rates. Full article

The two-dimensional, laterally-averaged mechanistic eutrophication model CE-QUAL-W2 version 3.72 was used to predict chlorophyll-a concentrations across two different time periods in the Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina. Chlorophyll calibration was performed for two time periods simultaneously by performing a full-factorial experiment that tested seven algal kinetic growth parameters over three levels for a single algal group. A cluster of up to six computers each running between two and ten instances of the program was used to complete and manage the data for 2187 runs for each period. Six numeric criteria were used to determine which runs performed acceptably, yielding a group of 27 cases that met all of the criteria. Calibration performance of the set of cases outperformed a previously calibrated model using three algal groups that met only four of the six selection criteria. Calibration performed this way allowed for a more rational specification of model calibration performance and provided uncertainty estimates of model predictions, albeit at the cost of a considerable increase in computational requirements that necessitated the use of a computer cluster. Full article

In the current article, the hydrodynamic forces of single-stepped planing hulls were evaluated by an analytical method and compared against towing tank tests. Using the 2D + T theory, the pressure distribution over the wedge section entering the water and the normal forces acting on the 2D sections have been computed. By integrating the 2D sectional normal forces over the entire wetted length of the vessel, the lift force acting on it has been obtained. Using lift forces as well as the consequence pitch moment, the equilibrium condition for the single-stepped planing hull is found and then resistance, dynamic trim, and the wetted surface are computed. The obtained hydrodynamic results have been compared against the experimental data and it has been observed that the presented mathematical model has reasonable accuracy, in particular, up to Froude number 2.0. Furthermore, this mathematical model can be a useful and fast tool for the stepped hull designers in the early design stage in order to compare the different hull configurations. It should also be noted that the mathematical model has been developed in such a way that it has the potential to model the sweep-back step and transverse the vertical motions of single-stepped planing hulls in future studies. Full article

NOAA’s National Ocean Service is upgrading three existing northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) operational nowcast/forecast systems (OFS) by integrating them into one single system (INGOFS) and developing additional domain coverage to encompass the lower Mississippi River, Lake Pontchartrain, Texas coastal embayments, and Mexican coastal waters. The system will produce real-time nowcast and short-range forecast guidance for water levels, 3-dimensional currents, water temperature, and salinity. INGOFS will be implemented using the Finite Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM). This paper describes the model configuration and results from a one-year (2 August 2016–1 August 2017) hindcast simulation. The model grid is composed of about 300,000 nodes and 600,000 elements, and has a spatial resolution ranging from 45 m near the coast to around 10 km on the open ocean boundary. It uses the FVCOM wetting and drying feature, the quadratic bottom friction scheme, and the two-equation model of the Mellor-Yamada Level 2.5 turbulence closure scheme. The hindcast results of water levels, surface temperatures, and salinity were verified by comparing the model time series with in situ observations. The root-mean-squared errors are about 0.08 m for water levels, about 1.1 °C for temperatures, and about 3.7 psu for salinity. The hindcast configuration will be further tested in a nowcast/forecast environment for a one-year period. The upgraded system is anticipated to be in operational production in mid-2020. Full article

The potential of using ADvanced CIRCulation model (ADCIRC) to assess the time incremented progression of hazard impacts on individual critical facilities has long been recognized but is not well described. As ADCIRC is applied to create granular impact models, the lack of transparency in the methods is problematic. It becomes difficult to evaluate the entire system in situations where modeling integrates different types of data (e.g., hydrodynamic and existing geospatial point data) and involves multiple disciplines and stakeholders. When considering increased interest in combining hydrodynamic models, existing geospatial information, and advanced visualizations it is necessary to increase transparency and identify the pitfalls that arise out of this integration (e.g., the inadequacy of data to support the resolution of proposed outputs). This paper thus describes an all numerical method to accomplish this integration. It provides an overview of the generation of the hydrodynamic model, describes the all numerical method utilized to model hazard impacts, identifies pitfalls that arise from the integration of existing geospatial data with the hydrodynamic model, and describes an approach to developing a credible basis for determining impacts at a granular scale. The paper concludes by reflecting on the implementation of these methods as part of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Integrated Emergency Management Training Course (IEMC) and identifies the need to further study the effects of integrated models and visualizations on risk perception. Full article

This paper introduces a novel control strategy into the insulation space for liquid natural gas carriers. The control strategy proposed can improve the effects of control for differential pressure and reduce the energy consumption of nitrogen. The method combines a nonlinear feedback technique with a closed-loop gain shaping algorithm (CGSA). It is designed for the pressure control system which is vital for liquid natural gas carriers (LNGCs) in marine transportation. The control error is modulated using nonlinear function. The deviation signal is replaced with a nonlinear feedback signal. Comparison experiments are conducted under different conditions to prove the effectiveness of this strategy. This paper compares three control strategies: a control strategy with nonlinear feedback based on CGSA, a control strategy without nonlinear feedback based on CGSA, and a two-degree-of-freedom (DOF) control strategy. The simulation results show that this control strategy with nonlinear feedback performs better than the other two. The average reduction of control input is about 38.8%. The effect of pressure control is satisfactory. Full article

A wave energy converter (WEC) system has the potential to convert the wave energy resource directly into the high-pressure flow that is needed by the desalination system to pump saltwater to the reverse-osmosis membrane and provide the required pressure level to generate freshwater. In this study, a wave-to-water numerical model was developed to investigate the potential use of a wave-powered desalination system (WPDS) for water production. The model was developed by coupling a time-domain radiation-and-diffraction method-based numerical tool (WEC-Sim) for predicting the hydrodynamic performance of WECs with a solution-diffusion model that was used to simulate the reverse-osmosis (RO) process. The objective of this research is to evaluate the WPDS dynamics and the overall efficiency of the system. To evaluate the feasibility of the WPDS, the wave-to-water numerical model was applied to simulate a desalination system that used an oscillating surge WEC device to pump seawater through the system. The hydrodynamics WEC-Sim simulation results for the oscillating surge WEC device were validated against existing experimental data. The RO simulation was verified by comparing the results to those from the Dow Chemical Company’s reverse osmosis system analysis (ROSA) model, which has been widely used to design and simulate RO systems. The wave-to-water model was then used to analyze the WPDS under a range of wave conditions and for a two-WECs-coupled RO system to evaluate the influence of pressure and flow rate fluctuation on the WPDS performance. The results show that the instantaneous energy fluctuation from waves has a significant influence on the responding hydraulic pressure and flow rate, as well as the recovery ratio and, ultimately, the water-production quality. Nevertheless, it is possible to reduce the hydraulic fluctuation for different sea states while maintaining a certain level of freshwater production, and a WEC array that produces water can be a viable, near-term solution to the nation’s water supply. A discussion on the dynamic impact of hydraulic fluctuation on the WPDS performance and potential options to reduce the fluctuation and their trade-offs is also presented. Full article