Development of estuary morphology models

Huthnance, J. and Karunarathna, H. and Lane, A. and Manning, A.J. and Norton, P. and Reeve, D. and Soulsby, R.L. and Spearman, J. and Surendran, S. and Townend, I. and Wright, A. (2008) Development of estuary morphology models. In: 43rd Defra Flood and Coastal Management Conference, 1-3 July 2008, Manchester University.

PDF HRPP356_Development_of_estuary_morphology_models.pdf Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (1MB)

Abstract

Estuaries are key areas in UK flood risk and coastal erosion management, needing well-validated models to predict morphology. The Estuaries Research Programme (ERP) addresses the challenge of predicting longer-term morphological changes. Project FD2107(Defra/Agency, 2008) in ERP aimed to enhance “Hybrid” models combining elements and advantages of “top-down” and process-based “bottom-up” approaches. Developments include: • An Analytical Emulator, based on 1-D hydrodynamics in a schematised estuary, indicating total area/volume response to water levels and tidal range; • A Hybrid Regime model, combining 1-D hydrodynamics with regime relations between discharge, cross-section area and width which evolve for changed conditions; • Morpho-SandTrack, with 2-D hydrodynamics, sediment dynamics, particle-tracking to change morphology; flow is re-calculated as bathymetry evolves; • A Realignment model, with 2-D flow and waves to spread sediment and predict local changes in morphology and saltmarsh due to managed realignment; • ASMITA (pre-existing) programmed in Matlab; sediment enters accommodation space, evolving the size of aggregated intertidal areas and channels; • An Inverse model evolving depth in 2-D according to a diffusion equation plus “source” derived from past depth changes.

Actions (for site administrators only - login required)

View Item