Coastal engineering

This course introduces the fundamental principles of coastal engineering, focusing on the physical processes that govern coastal systems and their application to engineering practice. The course covers how coastal processes influence shoreline evolution and the performance of coastal infrastructure. Students learn to analyze coastal problems using simplified theoretical models, empirical formulations, and real coastal data.

Objectives

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Understand and explain the fundamental physical processes governing the coastal zone.
• Analyze sediment transport and shoreline evolution using theoretical and empirical relationships.
• Apply engineering principles to the preliminary design of coastal structures.
• Interpret coastal oceanographic and geomorphological data to support engineering analysis and decision-making.

Contents

Unit I: Coastal environment

1. Introduction to coastal engineering
2. Tides and sea level
3. Waves in coastal waters
4. Coastal currents

Unit II: Coastal morphodynamics

5. Coastal sediments
6. Longshore sediment transport
7. Cross-shore processes
8. Coastal erosion

Unit III: Coastal engineering design

9. Coastal structures
10. Shore protection structures
11. Beach nourishment
12. Coastal management

Resources