Computational Simulations of Morphological Responses to Extreme Hydrological Conditions at an Estuary

A coastal and estuarine process-based model was applied to investigate morphodynamic responses to extreme hydrological conditions by typhoons, storm waves, river floods, and their combined physical forcings at an estuary. Numerical simulations revealed complex but overall flow patterns and morphological changes in the estuary, e.g., bank overflow and coastal inundation, erosion/deposition, as well as breaching of river mouth sand bar. These results are important to understanding of sediment transport and morphodynamic processes in the estuary especially during storms, tides, and floods. Furthermore, it can be used in planning for flood protection, sediment management, and shoreline stabilization in the region. The model's effectiveness was confirmed in simulating comprehensive impacts of waves, storm surges, hurricanes/typhoons, and river floods on hydrodynamics, sediment transport, and morphological changes in the coastal and estuarine regions. This numerical software package is, in general, capable of assisting engineers and researchers to achieve better coastal flood management and infrastructure protection against extreme hydrological conditions in coasts and estuaries.