Coastal Modelling Environment version 1.0: a framework for integrating landform-specific component models in order to simulate decadal to centennial morphological changes on complex coasts

Abstract

Abstract. The ability to model morphological changes on complex, multi-landform coasts over decadal to centennial timescales is essential for sustainable coastal management worldwide. One approach involves coupling of landformspecific simulation models (e.g. cliffs, beaches, dunes and estuaries) that have been independently developed. An alternative, novel approach explored in this paper is to capture the essential characteristics of the landform-specific models using a common spatial representation within an appropriate software framework. This avoid the problems that result from the model-coupling approach due to between-model differences in the conceptualizations of geometries, volumes and locations of sediment. In the proposed framework, the Coastal Modelling Environment (CoastalME), change in coastal morphology is represented by means of dynamically linked raster and geometrical objects. A grid of raster cells provides the data structure for representing quasi-3-D spatial heterogeneity and sediment conservation. Other geometrical objects (lines, areas and volumes) that are consistent with, and derived from, the raster structure represent a library of coastal elements (e.g. shoreline, beach profiles and estuary volumes) as required by different landform-specific models. As a proof-of-concept, we illustrate the capabilities of an initial version of CoastalME by integrating a cliffbeach model and two wave propagation approaches. We verify that CoastalME can reproduce behaviours of the component landform-specific models. Additionally, the integration of these component models within the CoastalME framework reveals behaviours that emerge from the interaction of landforms, which have not previously been captured, such as the influence of the regional bathymetry on the local alongshore sediment-transport gradient and the effect on coastal change on an undefended coastal segment and on sediment bypassing of coastal structures.

A Quantitative Assessment of the Annual Contribution of Platform Downwearing to Beach Sediment Budget: Happisburgh, England, UK

“…This model combination (SCAPE + COVE + CSHORE) captures the main processes and feedbacks required to simulate the beach-platform-wave propagation interaction that drives coastal morphological change at Happisburgh. Table 1 summarizes the main methods and what element has been implemented in CoastalME [28]. [29] CoastalME as COVE, uses a local coordinate scheme (rather than global), and divide the coastline as a set of sediment sharing polygonal shapes (e.g., triangles and trapezoids).…”

Study on Optimization Method of Spatial Structure Characteristics of Peak Forest Landform in Wulingyuan Scenic Area

“…This experiment chooses 30 m grid resolution SRTM data, 1 m DOM data of high resolution remote sensing image, fast bird image data and world view data as main information sources, supplemented by 1:10,000 scale topographic map and other related data (Payo et al, 2017) from the completed National Geographic Database. In addition, the urban construction archives of the study area since 1990 were consulted, and a large number of data on social, economic and environmental changes were collected.…”

Vulnerability Analysis of the Venetian Littoral and Adopted Mitigation Strategy

“…The use of GIS for coastal management has expanded rapidly during the past decade (Bartlett and Smith [28], Wright and Bartlett [29]), and is suited to the Williams [30] approach, based on "getting", "reordering" and "refining" the information. The collected information is suitable to be integrated within a CoastalME type framework [31]. Figure 1 shows the general structure of the proposed methodology, whereby the information gathered from both the descriptive and design phases is stored in the Coastal GIS.…”

“…Numerical models are frequently used in coastal planning, since they are useful for integrating any available information, especially on forcing, coastal flooding and sediment transport, e.g., [13,[21][22][23]27,31].…”