To quantify the effect of wave breaking turbulence on sediment transport in the nearshore, the vertical distribution of time-averaged suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in the surf zone was parameterized in terms of the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) at different cross-shore locations, including the bar crest, bar trough, and inner surf...
Coastal vegetation dampens waves which can provide benefits to the local area, but existing literature shows large variations in the degree of wave height attenuation depending on plant properties and wave conditions. Better knowledge of how to predict the wave height decay accurately in different types of vegetation may help...
Boulder transport models have been used to develop a historical record of hydrodynamic events. This is done by evaluating the size, location, and composition of boulders that have been removed from their region of formation. Boulder transport is difficult to predict, even under laboratory conditions.
Experiments were conducted to evaluate...
Coastal marsh vegetation is an important component in maintaining marsh stability that is threatened by changes in sedimentation, sea level rise, natural and anthropogenic disturbances, and competition from invasive species. Vegetation has been demonstrated to reduce wave energy, increase sedimentation, and decrease erosion in tidal environments under a range of...
In this dissertation the interactions between hydrodynamics, sediment suspension and transport, and morphological evolution in the surf zone was investigated with a large-scale laboratory experiment data, CROss-Shore Sediment Transport Experiment (CROSSTEX). The data set included comprehensive measurements of water surface elevation, fluid velocity, sediment concentration, and morphology for irregular waves...
Damage estimates to the built environment from tsunamis are important for disaster mitigation, including planning emergency response and recovery. This dissertation evaluates the damage states of buildings in a small urban coastal city, Seaside, Oregon, from tsunami hazards generated by a Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) event. This study is separated...
This thesis investigates the effects of wave energy converters (WECs) on water waves through the analysis of extensive laboratory experiments, as well as subsequent numerical simulations. Data for the analysis was collected during the WEC-Array Experiments performed at the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory at Oregon State University, under co-operation...
The use of natural and nature-based features for coastal hazard mitigation, particularly emergent vegetation such as mangrove forests, have become increasingly popular. However, the protection that these systems can provide has not been fully quantified for engineering design, and the uncertainties in parameterized equations have not been fully defined. In...