Quantifying the role of individual flood drivers and their correlations in flooding of coastal river reaches

Afectado por periodo de embargo de la revista (12 meses)Flooding in coastal river reaches is the result of complex interactions between coastal and inland drivers. Flood hazard assessments need to consider how these drivers interact in space and time, for which a standard method is currently lacking. A complex hydrodynamic model is required to reproduce the physics of the combined forcings and, at the same time, to fully explore the combinations of drivers that can occur in order to determine extreme flood frequencies. In this work, we explore the individual role of astronomical tide, storm surge and river discharge and their correlations in the extreme flood levels of a coastal river reach. We apply a computationally efficient surrogate model of a 2D shallow water model based on least squares support vector machines (LS-SVM) regression to reconstruct 10000 years-long time series of water levels in the reach. As input to the model, we consider an ensemble of synthetic time series of the flood drivers, which differ in the number of variables considered and in their correlations. Probabilities of exceedance of water levels are then computed and compared. The proposed methodology can give a better understanding of the flooding processes in a multivariable environment, as low-lying coastal urban areas typically are, and can provide guidance on where to focus modelling efforts when developing flood hazard assessments in such areas.María Bermúdez gratefully acknowledges funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement Nº 754446 and UGR Research and Knowledge Transfer Fund – Athenea3

Online proceedings of the papers submitted to the 2020 TELEMAC-MASCARET User Conference October 2020

Hydrodynamic

A statistical-process based approach for modelling beach profile variability

As the debate into a changing global climate continues, it is important that coastal engineers and scientists have the most advanced tools to quantify any resulting variation in the coastal environment. This will aid the creation and implementation of effective shoreline management plans to mitigate these changes. This thesis presents a new combined Statistical-Process based Approach (SPA) for modelling storm driven, cross-shore, beach profile variability at a medium-term (annual to decadal) timescale. The methodology presented involves combining the detailed statistical modelling of offshore storm data and a process based morphodynamic model (XBeach), to assess, and quantify, the medium-term morphodynamic response of cross-shore beach profiles. Up until now the use of process-based models has been curtailed at the storm event timescale. This approach allows inclusion of the post-storm recovery period, in addition to individual event impacts, thus allowing longer-term predictions. The use of a process-based model for simulating, both erosion and recovery, expands on previous work on the subject by allowing for the inclusion of antecedent beach profiles within the modelling framework. The XBeach model and the overall SPA procedure were calibrated and validated using measured wave and beach profile data from Narrabeen Beach, NSW, Australia. XBeach was shown to give a good prediction of the post-storm profile for four varying storm events. In addition, by accounting for the hydrodynamic processes that govern accretion, and calibrating parameters accordingly, XBeach was also shown to provide a good representation of berm accretion during recovery periods. The combination of the erosion and accretion models was shown to produce extremely encouraging results at an annual timescale, by successfully following the trends in beach volume and the position of the 0m and 2m beach contours. The simulation of a longer sequence provided comparable medium-term erosion return levels

Ocean Remote Sensing with Synthetic Aperture Radar

The ocean covers approximately 71% of the Earth’s surface, 90% of the biosphere and contains 97% of Earth’s water. The Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) can image the ocean surface in all weather conditions and day or night. SAR remote sensing on ocean and coastal monitoring has become a research hotspot in geoscience and remote sensing. This book—Progress in SAR Oceanography—provides an update of the current state of the science on ocean remote sensing with SAR. Overall, the book presents a variety of marine applications, such as, oceanic surface and internal waves, wind, bathymetry, oil spill, coastline and intertidal zone classification, ship and other man-made objects’ detection, as well as remotely sensed data assimilation. The book is aimed at a wide audience, ranging from graduate students, university teachers and working scientists to policy makers and managers. Efforts have been made to highlight general principles as well as the state-of-the-art technologies in the field of SAR Oceanography

Electro-mechanical modelling of tidal arrays

The aim of this study is to present, compare and improve the options of power transmission for tidal current arrays. The potential to generate low or zero carbon power from the world’s tides is increasing as technology moves forward. The technically available tidal current energy resource, the resource that can be captured using existing technology, in the United Kingdom can supply a significant amount of the UK electricity demand. Even though tidal current devices have similarities to offshore wind turbines in many aspects, a number of characteristics differentiate the approach needed regarding power transmission and drive-train design. Some of these characteristics are: predictable direction and speed of the tidal current, predetermined available area in a tidal channel, less swept area due higher density of water, continuous underwater operation and smaller distances to shore. This thesis is based on the hypothesis that tidal current energy can be harnessed using today’s technology in an efficient manner. Technology progression never stops and as new materials and methods become available the cost of utilising tidal current energy will drop in the years to come. However, the research question that has to be asked is whether using today’s technology tidal arrays can be an alternative source of electrical power. In order to respond to this research question electromechanical models of tidal current devices have been developed in detail, from resource to the grid connection, using mathematical linear and non-linear programming in MATLAB/Simulink. The tidal models developed include the tidal resource, the tidal turbine with pitch control, geared induction and synchronous generators, the power electronics with the generator controller, the grid side controller, the cables for power transmission, the filters and the grid connection. All the modelling aspects of this study are presented in Chapter 3. Single tidal current devices were compared using different generator technologies, squirrel cage induction generator or permanent magnet synchronous generator, and different location of the power converters, in the nacelle near the generator or many kilometres apart from the generator. Regarding the generator technology, results showed that even though differences are minor, the permanent magnet synchronous generators are more efficient. Regarding the location of the power converters results showed that positioning the power converters in the nacelle always yields fewer electrical losses but component accessibility is minimised due to the underwater operation of the tidal current device. A key focus aspect of the study is the power transmission option with onshore converters which is presented in detail. Using this concept it is possible to generate electricity from tidal current devices but at the same time keep the highest possible system reliability despite the continuous underwater operation. This concept has been used in the first demonstration tidal current arrays developed by Andritz Hydro Hammerfest. What is more, data provided by Andritz Hydro Hammerfest were utilised in order to validate the simulation models. In this study a step forward is taken regarding the concept of keeping the converter dry and controlling the tidal current generator from afar. An algorithm is developed to design power harmonic filters for systems that use long distance controls. Power harmonic filters allow the long distance control system to operate reliably under all conditions but generate significant electrical losses. The power harmonic filter design algorithm presented in this thesis estimates the exact filter parameters so that the filter ensures maximum system reliability and generate minimum possible losses. In addition tidal array topologies using this concept are developed. The final part of this thesis compares a number of different tidal array topologies based on resource to grid efficiency and component accessibility for maintenance. Results showed that when tidal current devices are clustered per four turbines on offshore platforms it is efficient to use as many clusters as possible connected to a single cable whose both ends are connected to the grid. Locating the power converters in the nacelle yields fewer electrical losses compared to locating the power converters on the offshore platform. However, the difference is minimised because the distance between the tidal current device and the offshore platform is the least possible. Having the power converters on an offshore platform is beneficial in terms of accessibility for maintenance and operation because they are not underwater. The results and the methodology from this thesis can be extended to other offshore renewable energy systems such as the wind and wave. In addition, this study can be used as a stepping stone for decision making by tidal current developers

Flow-3D CFD model of bifurcated open channel flow: setup and validation

Bifurcation is a morphological feature present in most of fluvial systems; where a river splits into two channels, each bearing a portion of the flow and sediments. Extensive theoretical studies of river bifurcations were performed to understand the nature of flow patterns at such diversions. Nevertheless, the complexity of the flow structure in the bifurcated channel has resulted in various constraints on physical experimentation, so computational modelling is required to investigate the phenomenon. The advantages of computational modelling compared with experimental research (e.g. simple variable control, reduced cost, optimize design condition etc.) are widely known. The great advancement of computer technologies and the exponential increase in power, memory storage and affordability of high-speed machines in the early 20th century led to evolution and wide application of numerical fluid flow simulations, generally referred to as Computational Fluid Dynamics {CFD). In this study, the open-channel flume with a lateral channel established by Momplot et al (2017) is modelled in Flow-3D. The original investigation on divided flow of equal widths as simulated in ANSYS Fluent and validated with velocity measurements

Coastal Geohazard and Offshore Geotechnics

With rapid developments being made in the exploration of marine resources, coastal geohazard and offshore geotechnics have attracted a great deal of attention from coastal geotechnical engineers, with significant progress being made in recent years. Due to the complicated nature of marine environmnets, there are numerous natural marine geohazard preset throughout the world’s marine areas, e.g., the South China Sea. In addition, damage to offshore infrastructure (e.g., monopiles, bridge piers, etc.) and their supporting installations (pipelines, power transmission cables, etc.) has occurred in the last decades. A better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms and soil behavior of the seabed in marine environments will help engineers in the design and planning processes of coastal geotechnical engineering projects. The purpose of this book is to present the recent advances made in the field of coastal geohazards and offshore geotechnics. The book will provide researchers with information reagrding the recent developments in the field, and possible future developments. The book is composed of eighteen papers, covering three main themes: (1) the mechanisms of fluid–seabed interactions and the instability associated with seabeds when they are under dynamic loading (papers 1–5); (2) evaluation of the stability of marine infrastructure, including pipelines (papers 6–8), piled foundation and bridge piers (papers 9–12), submarine tunnels (paper 13), and other supported foundations (paper 14); and (3) coastal geohazards, including submarine landslides and slope stability (papers 15–16) and other geohazard issues (papers 17–18). The editors hope that this book will functoin as a guide for researchers, scientists, and scholars, as well as practitioners of coastal and offshore engineering

Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy is energy generated from natural resources - such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat - which are naturally replenished. In 2008, about 18% of global final energy consumption came from renewables, with 13% coming from traditional biomass, such as wood burning. Hydroelectricity was the next largest renewable source, providing 3% (15% of global electricity generation), followed by solar hot water/heating, which contributed with 1.3%. Modern technologies, such as geothermal energy, wind power, solar power, and ocean energy together provided some 0.8% of final energy consumption. The book provides a forum for dissemination and exchange of up - to - date scientific information on theoretical, generic and applied areas of knowledge. The topics deal with new devices and circuits for energy systems, photovoltaic and solar thermal, wind energy systems, tidal and wave energy, fuel cell systems, bio energy and geo-energy, sustainable energy resources and systems, energy storage systems, energy market management and economics, off-grid isolated energy systems, energy in transportation systems, energy resources for portable electronics, intelligent energy power transmission, distribution and inter - connectors, energy efficient utilization, environmental issues, energy harvesting, nanotechnology in energy, policy issues on renewable energy, building design, power electronics in energy conversion, new materials for energy resources, and RF and magnetic field energy devices