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Coastal and Estuarine Processes with Engineering Applications


Course Description

An overview of coastal and estuarine processes. These topics include linear wave theory, astronomic tides and storm surges, sea level rise, coastal responses such as sediment transport, and coastal management practices and applications.

Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students must research an instructor-approved, course-related topic (e.g., numerical simulation of waves/water levels, sediment transport, sea level rise, atmosphere-ocean interaction, and wave-structure interaction) and submit a final literature review report. Through a written literature review, the graduate-level students will: • refine literature search skills to aid in their thesis/dissertation writing; • gain a deeper understanding of existing coastal and estuarine research and engineering applications; • find research gaps and/or debates within their selected topic; and • present new knowledge gained in a written format (enhance writing skills). Graduate students will also be provided a variation of the final exam than the undergraduate students for additional assessment of advanced topics.


Athena Title

Coastal Engineering


Prerequisite

ENGR 3160 or ENGR 3160E


Semester Course Offered

Offered every year.


Grading System

A - F (Traditional)


Course Objectives

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to: • Explain important processes of coastal and estuarine hydrodynamics; • Apply data analysis to solve problems of coastal and estuarine hydrodynamics; • Classify and describe the physics associated with coastal and estuarine hydrodynamics; and • Associate data analysis as a practice solution to physical engineering problems in coastal and estuarine regions.


Topical Outline

1. Linear Wave Theory 2. Wave-Induced Hydrodynamics 3. Astronomic Tides 4. Storm Surges and Tsunamis 5. Sea Level Rise 6. Estuaries and Estuarine Circulation 7. Sediment Transport 8. Engineering Structures (Conventional, Nature-Based, and Hybrid) 9. Coastal Management Practices