Coastal Hydrodynamics Overview

Principles

Definition

Coastal hydrodynamics is the scientific field that investigates the motion of water and the forces acting upon it within coastal environments. This includes the study of waves, currents, tides, sediment transport, and mixing processes, which is essential for understanding coastal morphology, ecosystem dynamics, and engineering applications in these complex zones.

Ontological type

Sediment Transport

Wave Dynamics

Coastal Currents

Key developments

Key Figures

Wave-Boundary-Layer Foundations era

Paul D. Komar [1] is a coastal geoscientist active in the Wave-Boundary-Layer Foundations era, with affiliations at Oregon State University [3] and the University of St Andrews [4]. His key contributions include the development of longshore transport concepts as evidenced by Longshore sand transport on beaches [7] and the threshold of sediment motion under unidirectional currents [6], which were crucial for predicting shoreline evolution and cross-shore sediment exchange in wave-driven boundary layers. Ole Secher Madsen [2] is a pivotal figure in this era, associated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology [5]. His sole major contribution in the era, Combined wave and current interaction with a rough bottom [8], advanced coupled wave and current bottom formulations that underpinned boundary-layer dynamics and radiation-stress concepts central to surf-zone and longshore transport theories.

Three-Dimensional Morphodynamic Modeling era

L.H. Holthuijsen [1], affiliated with Delft University of Technology [3], was a central figure in coastal hydrodynamics during the Three-Dimensional Morphodynamic Modeling era. His key contributions in this era are the two papers 'A third‐generation wave model for coastal regions: 1. Model description and validation' [6] and 'A third‐generation wave model for coastal regions: 2. Verification' [7], which advanced shoaling, breaking, undertow, and sandbar migration predictions in morphodynamic simulations. Changsheng Chen [2], with Massachusetts Institute of Technology [4] and University of Science and Technology of China [5], contributed to unstructured-grid three-dimensional ocean modeling in the early 2000s. His single paper, 'An Unstructured Grid, Finite-Volume, Three-Dimensional, Primitive Equations Ocean Model: Application to Coastal Ocean and Estuaries' [8], introduced a 2003 unstructured-grid 3D ocean model that enabled more flexible, high-resolution morphodynamic simulations in coastal waters.

Integrated Multi-Physics Morphodynamics era

Sergio Fagherazzi [1], affiliated with Boston University [3] and University of Padua [4], is a leading figure in coastal morphodynamics during the Integrated Multi-Physics Morphodynamics era. His key contributions include numerical models of salt marsh evolution: ecological, geomorphic, and climatic factors [6], a coupled long-term evolution model for salt marshes and tidal flats [7], and an analysis of how storm surges and sea level influence shallow tidal basin erosive processes [8]. Andrea D’Alpaos [2], affiliated with Nanjing University [5] and University of Padua [4], is a prominent figure shaping salt marsh and tidal-channel theory in this era. His contributions include the 2011 Numerical models of salt marsh evolution: Ecological, geomorphic, and climatic factors [6], and the 2010 On the tidal prism–channel area relations [9], which together advanced marsh dynamics and cross-channel exchange.