Advances in Coastal Structure Design

Book excerpt: Advances in Coastal Structure Design presents a compendium of 10 papers addressing the state-of-the-art advances in Coastal Structure Design by internationally renowned authors. The papers focus on the tools and techniques used to analyze coastal processes and design engineering solutions to them. The first three chapters present multiple view points and policies regarding how the coastal-structure debate in the United States came to be and how policies are evolving to handle issues concerning the interactions of structures with shorelines. Including a paper on the global perspective surrounding the policy, design, construction and monitoring of coastal structures and the third demonstrating how a good knowledge of multi-disciplinary areas of geotechnical, geologic, and seismic conditions are essential to successful planning and design of coastal structures. The following chapter discusses a key aspect of coastal structure design, which is modeling. The remaining papers present insightful information on: wave distributions and probabilities; an overview of breakwater design and construction since the 18th century; and advances in structural design aspects on performance-based design. The final chapter demonstrates how sand, vegetation, cobbles, and small structures can be effectively utilized to provide coastal protection. CONTENTS INCLUDE: Coastal Structure Debate: Public and Policy Aspects; International Perspectives on Coastal Structure Uses; Geotechnical Consideration for Coastal Structure Design; Numerical Modeling as a Design Tool for Coastal Structures; Physical Modeling Considerations for Coastal Structures; Selection of a Design Wave Height for Coastal Engineering; Historical Overview of Rubble Mound Structure Design and Construction; Advances in Breakwater and Revetment Design; Design Aspects of Groins and Jetties; Application of Coastal Engineering in Coastal Zone Management.