15th Triennial International Conference
Designing Port Infrastructure for Sea Level Change: A Survey of U.S. Engineers
Publication: Ports 2019: Port Planning and Development
ABSTRACT
Seaports are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to their coastal location. With the potential threat of up to 2.5 m in sea level rise by 2100, resilient port infrastructure is vital for the continued operation of ports. Engineers play a pivotal role in improving the resilience of ports, as they are responsible for designing port infrastructure that will be adequately prepared for future sea level change (SLC). However, incorporating SLC into the design specifications of port infrastructure projects is a challenging task due to the uncertainty of SLC projections, the long service lives of port infrastructure, and the differing guidelines and recommendations for managing SLC. Through an online survey of 85 U.S. port and marine infrastructure engineers, this research explores the engineering community’s attitude and approach to planning for SLC for large-scale maritime infrastructure projects. Survey findings highlight the extent that projects incorporate SLC, the wide range of factors that drive the inclusion of SLC, and the numerous barriers that prevent engineers from incorporating SLC into design. This research emphasizes that traditional engineering practices may no longer be appropriate for dealing with climate change design variables and their associated uncertainties. Furthermore, results call for collaboration among engineers, port authorities, and policy makers to develop design standards and practical design methods for designing resilient port infrastructure.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to COPRI, Tom Chase, Scott Hicks, Mustafa Samad, Tom Ward, and all of the SLC subcommittee members for their support. Also, thanks to the survey respondents who generously gave their time to assist with this research. Lastly, thanks to my thesis advisor, Dr. Austin Becker, and my thesis committee members, Dr. Robert Thompson and Dr. Gretchen Macht.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Ports 2019: Port Planning and Development
Pages: 477 - 488
Editors: Pooja Jain, Moffatt & Nichol and William S. Stahlman III, America's Central Port
ISBN (Online): 978-0-7844-8262-9
Copyright
© 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Sep 12, 2019
Published in print: Sep 12, 2019
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