Overtopping events on seawall-backed beaches: Santos Bay, SP, Brazil

Autor(es)

Stein, Luiza P. ^[1] ; Siegle, Eduardo ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Oceanog, Praca Oceanog 191, BR-05508120 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE; v. 40, NOV 2020.
• Citações Web of Science: 1

Resumo

The overtopping of coastal structures occurs when the free surface of the ocean (total water level - TWL) reaches a maximum elevation that exceeds the crest height of the structures that front the beach. Extreme events increase the TWL due to the combination of astronomical tides, storm surges and wave run-up. In urbanized beaches, such as Santos and Itarare (Santos Bay, SAo Paulo, Brazil), it is common practice to remove natural protection for the construction of urban infrastructure. This process results in a more vulnerable coastal area that is subjected to overtopping and inundation, leaving low-lying areas at risk. Santos Bay is open to the south, exposing the coastline to the action of more energetic waves associated with cold fronts. In this study, we aim to estimate the most likely scenarios of TWL that result in overtopping at Santos Bay beaches and analyze overtopping events during 2016. The results show that the wider and flatter profiles in the western portion of Santos and in Itarare allow greater protection against storm events and that the steeper eastern stretch of Santos Beach is more exposed to overtopping events. The wave run-up proved to be an important contributor to the TWL. Spring tide conditions also considerably increase the possibility of overtopping in all profiles. The threshold values of the combined wave and sea level are defined to provide predictive estimates of the overtopping and coastal inundation processes. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 08/58101-9 - Impact of the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean on South American climate for the 20th and 21st centuries
• Beneficiário: Tercio Ambrizzi
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa de Pesquisa sobre Mudanças Climáticas Globais - Temático