Every winter hundreds of British homes are at risk from being flooded when storms hit our shores. Global warming is expected to make matters worse for the future.
Environmental scientists from the University of East Anglia and maritime computer modellers from the University of Liverpool have been collaborating on a project – funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) - to study the effectiveness of structures such as breakwaters (piles of rocks just off the coast) at protecting the coastline from storms. This side of the research is being carried out in the South East, which is particularly vulnerable to the effects of storms because the land here is sinking at a rate of around 1mm per year.
The research group needed to take measurements on a rapid response basis, dashing out just before a storm was forecast. To do this, the researchers used quad bikes and jet skis. They were then able to rush out and measure how much sand had been moved around by a storm. This in turn helped them to ascertain which areas had been left most vulnerable and provided unique data to test the computer models.
Field team project leader Professor Chris Vincent, Head of School and Professor of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia, said:
"Areas of the South East are at severe risk of disappearing and we need to understand what is happening and why. Houses and even entire towns could be lost forever if measures are not taken now to ensure their survival. We have been investigating the impact of the large breakwaters that lie just offshore along the East Anglian coast, near the village of Sea Palling in North Norfolk. We wanted to measure how much sand was moved around by each storm and where the most vulnerable places were."
The work has led to a computer model of how winter storms are likely to affect the East Anglian coastline in the future. This will help coastal engineers improve flood defences.
Notes for Editors
For the past two winters Professor Vincent and his team have been on standby to take the measurements before and after every storm. On land they measured and recorded the shape of the beach by zipping up and down on quad bikes, building up a 3d picture of the site using a global positioning system (GPS).
Out at sea jet skis were employed with echo sounders to monitor how long sound takes to bounce off the sea bed, this enabled the researchers to measure the depth of the water, while the GPS recorded their location. Putting this information together helped the scientists to map the beach and sea floor out to where the breakwaters were.
The East Anglian team worked closely with maritime computer modellers at Liverpool University's Department of Civil Engineering led by Professor Brian O'Connor and Dr Shunqi Pan. They are now working on a predictive model of tide and flood conditions as well as associated shoreline and beach changes. EPSRC is also funding the second phase of the project, which is due to start later this year and involves the effects of multiple storms over many years of action, as well as the influence of changing climatic conditions.
Currently the Environment Agency has to artificially 'feed' beaches with sand near Great Yarmouth as a result of sand starvation from the action of the breakwaters near Sea Palling.
In 1953 Sea Palling suffered a large winter storm. Seven people were drowned when the waves crashed over the sand dune that separated the land from the sea and many houses and fields were damaged by the ensuing floods. After this tragic event a concrete sea wall was built to provide extra protection for the community but by 1994 the sea wall had started to show signs of serious damage and urgent action was needed. The Environment Agency quickly constructed a series of breakwaters to try and lessen the impact of the waves.
If you want to find out more about 'Breaking the Waves' visit http://pcwww.liv.ac.uk/civilCRG/leacoast/index.htm
The research project into 'Breaking the Waves' has received a grant from the EPSRC of £477,773.
EPSRC:
The EPSRC is the UK's main agency for funding research in engineering and the physical sciences. The EPSRC invests more than £500 million a year in research and postgraduate training, to help the nation handle the next generation of technological change. The areas covered range from information technology to structural engineering, and mathematics to materials science. This research forms the basis for future economic development in the UK and improvements for everyone's health, lifestyle and culture. EPSRC also actively promotes public awareness of science and engineering. EPSRC works alongside other Research Councils with responsibility for other areas of research. The Research Councils work collectively on issues of common concern via Research Councils UK. Website address for more information on EPSRC: www.epsrc.ac.uk/
For more information contact:
Professor Chris Vincent, University of East Anglia, Tel: 01603 592529, e-mail: c.vincent@uea.ac.uk.
Professor Brian O'Connor, University of Liverpool, Tel: 07977 036375, e-mail: brian.oconnor1@btopenworld.com.
Dr Shunqi Pan, University of Liverpool, Tel: 0151 794 5242, e-mail: s.pan@liv.ac.uk.
Three images are available from the EPSRC Press Office, contact Lisa Green, Tel: 01793 442806, e-mail lisa.green@epsrc.ac.uk.
Suggested captions for images:
Researchers on Jet ski.jpg: When the going gets rough the researchers hop on a jet ski to do bathymetric surveying – measuring the depth of a body of water – using an echo sounder and GPS to assess shifting sand levels. [Pictured: Dr John Bacon and Dr Jon Taylor from the University of East Anglia] Breakwaters picture.jpg: The Breakwaters built to protect the areas around the Sea Palling site (in North Norfolk) from storm damage viewed from the air. Understanding how effective these are will help coastal engineers to improve flood defences. Tide modelling graphics.jpg: Researchers at UEA are passing on their measurements of sea conditions to computer modellers at the University of Liverpool in order to create accurate models of the effects of storms.