Publications

Coastal hazards such as flooding and erosion can cause large economic and human losses. Under this threat, early warning systems can be very cost-effective solutions for disaster preparation. The goal of this study was to develop, test, and implement an operational coastal erosion early warning system supported by a particular method of machine learning. Thus, the system combines Bayesian Networks, and state-of-the-art numerical models, such as XBeach and SWAN, to predict storm erosion impacts in urbanized areas. This system was developed in two phases. In the development phase, all information required to apply the machine learning method was generated including the definition of hundreds of oceanic synthetic storms, modeling of the erosion caused by these storms, and characterization of the impact levels according to a newly defined eerosion iimpact index. This adimensional index relates the distance from the edge of the dune/beach scarp to buildings and the height of that scarp. Finally, a Bayesian Network that acted as a surrogate of the previously generated information was built. After the training of the network, the conditional probability tables were created. These tables constituted the ground knowledge to make the predictions in the second phase. This methodology was validated (1) by comparing 6-h predictions obtained with the Bayesian Network and with process-based models, the latest considered as the benchmark, and (2) by assessing the predictive skills of the Bayesian Network through the unbiased iterative k-fold cross-validation procedure. Regarding the first comparison, the analysis considered the entire duration of three large storms whose return periods were 10, 16, and 25 years, and it was observed that the Bayesian Network correctly predicted between 64% and 72% of the impacts during the course of the storms, depending on the area analyzed. Importantly, this method was also able to identify when the hazardous conditions disappeared after predicting potential consequences. Regarding the Regarding the second validation approach, second validation approach, the k-fold cross-validation procedure was applied to the peak of a set of varying storms and it demonstrated that the predictive skills were maximized (63%

A wave flume is used to study a scaled model of a stepped bottom dual-chamber Oscillating Water Column (OWC) installed onshore. Compared to traditional single-chamber OWCs, the use of dual-chambers is expected to widen the range of sea states in which the OWC is more efficient, and the step, in front of the first chamber, boosts the capturing energy capacity of the device. The Power Take-Off (PTO) system is modelled as an air opening in the pneumatic chambers. Several experiments combining regular incident waves and PTO damping conditions are performed. Results of the amplitudes of the free surface elevations inside the chambers show that the device can amplify the incident wave amplitude up to 1.57 times in chamber 2. Results of the primary efficiency show that the device is highly dependent on the PTO damping characteristics and can reach around 40% for a wide range of wave periods. Results of the reflection analysis show that the reflection coefficient is also dependent on the PTO damping characteristics but remain lower than 0.6 for all the studied cases. Sloshing phenomenon (mostly in the cross-section direction) was observed for a wavelength close to the cross-section dimension, impacting negatively on the device pneumatic performance.

Performance and hydrodynamics of an array of Oscillating Water Column (OWC) Wave Energy Converter (WEC) integrated into a vertical breakwater is studied. The FLUENT® software, in which the numerical model is based on the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations and the Volume of Fluid method for free surface flow modeling, is used in a 3D numerical wave tank. Three vertical breakwater configurations subject to the action of incident regular waves with periods from 6 to 12 s are studied: normal breakwater, with vertical walls parallel to the direction along the breakwater length; and two novel breakwater geometries, partially and fully convergent breakwaters, whose converging vertical walls are inclined

This study aims to validate a numerical model based on Reynolds-averaged Navier

Storms impacting sandy coastal areas produce hazards such as erosion and overwash that, in turn, promote risk to life and property damage in occupied areas. Coastal damage and risks willincrease in the future not only in association with climate change but also due to the growinghuman occupation in coastal areas (van Dongeren et al., 2018). Since the threatened coastal areas are often densely populated, there is a need to implement measures to prevent risks. One of such measures is the use of Early Warning Systems (EWS) that anticipate expected risks and, therefore, work as management tools to minimize or avoid disaster. This work presents the basis of an EWS prototype to alert about the potential consequences of overwash/overtopping and erosion induced by storms, in coastal areas.

Beaches combined with sloping structures are frequently the frst element of defense to protect urban areas from the impact of extreme coastal fooding events. However, these structures are rarely designed for null wave overtopping discharges, accepting that waves can pass above the crest and threat exposed elements in hinterland areas, such as pedestrians, urban elements and buildings, and vehicles. To reduce risks, Early Warning Systems (EWSs) can be used to anticipate and minimize the impacts of fooding episodes on those elements. A key aspect of these systems is the defnition of non-admissible discharge levels that trigger signifcant impacts. However, large discrepancies in defning these discharge levels and the associated impacts are found among the existing methods to assess foodings. Due to the lack of standardization, a new conceptual and quantitative four-level (from no-impact to high-impact) categorization of food warnings (EW-Coast) is proposed. EW-Coast integrates and unifes previous methods and builds on them by incorporating feld-based information. Thus, the new categorization successfully predicted the impact level on 70%, 82%, and 85% of the overtopping episodes afecting pedestrians, urban elements and buildings, and vehicles, respectively. This demonstrates its suitability to support EWSs in areas vulnerable to wave-induced fooding.

During physical scale model tests of rubble mound breakwaters, the assessment of the eroded volume of the armour layer subjected to incident sea waves can be determined from consecutive surveys of the surface of the armour layer after each test run. This enables one to assess the damage level of the struc ture by comparing erosion profiles and by the eroded volume between consecutive surveys of the tested section. The present study aimed to evaluate the damage evolu tion of a section of the Peniche harbour west breakwater, whose armour layer is made of tetrapods, A dimensionless damage parameter was computed, based on the eroded volume at the end of each test. The test program consisted of three test series (A, B and C) with different durations and wave conditions sequences, considering the low-water level (water depth of 0.20 m at the toe of the structure) and high-water level (0.24 m) and sea states with peak periods Tp = 1.70 s and Tp = 1.98 s and significant wave heights, Hm0, ranging between 0.12 m and 0.19 m. The model was built and operated according to Froude

Melby presents a formula to predict damage evolution in rubble-mound breakwaterswhose armour layer is made of rock, based on the erosion measured in scale-model tests and thecharacteristics of the incident sea waves in such tests. However, this formula is only valid for armourlayers made of rock and for the range of tested sea states. The present work aims to show howthe Melby methodology can be used to establish a similar formula for the armour layer damageevolution in a rubble-mound breakwater where tetrapods are employed. For that, a long-durationtest series is conducted with a 1:50 scale model of the quay section of the Ericeira Harbour breakwater.The eroded volume of the armour layer was measured using a Kinect position sensor. The damageparameter values measured in the experiments are lower than those predicted by the formulationfor rock armour layers. New ap and b coefficients for the Melby formula for the tested armour layerwere established based on the minimum root mean square error between the measured and thepredicted damage. This work shows also that it is possible to assess the damage evolution in scale model tests with rubble-mound breakwaters by computing the eroded volume and subsequently, thedimensionless damage parameter based on the equivalent removed armour units.

The objective of this work is the comparison of two methodologies used for run-up measurements in a two-dimensional physical model, which represented the protection breakwaters of the Peniche and Ericeira

Coastal flooding prediction systems can be an efficient risk-reduction instrument. The goal of this study was to design, build, test, and implement a wave-induced flooding early warning system in urban areas fronted by sandy beaches. The system utilizes a novel approach that combines Bayesian Networks and numerical models (SWAN + XBeach) and was developed in two phases. In the development phase, firstly, the learning information was generated including the creation of oceanic conditions, modeling overtopping discharges, the haracterization of the associated im pacts (no, low, moderate and high) in pedestrians, urban components and buildings, and vehicles, and secondly, the Bayesian Networks were designed that surrogated the previously generated information. After their training, the conditional probability tables were created representing the foundation to make predictions in the operational phase. This methodology was validated for several historical events which hit the study area (Praia de Faro, Portugal), and the system correctly predicted the impact level of around 80% of the cases. Also, the predictive skills varied depending on the level, with the no and high impact levels overcoming the intermediate levels. In terms of efficiency, one simulation (deterministic) of coastal flooding for 72 h by running SWAN + XBeach operationally would take more than two days on a one-logical processor workstation, while the current approach can provide quasi-instantaneously predictions for that period, including probability distributions. Moreover, the two-working phase approach is very flexible enabling the inclusion of additional features such as social components representing a powerful tool for risk reduction in coastal communities.

Com vista a otimizar a geometria do prolongamento do quebra-mar exterior do Porto de Leixões, bem como avaliar os impactes desse prolongamento nas condições de agitação na praia de Matosinhos, efetuou-se a caraterização da agitação marítima na zona de estudo, considerando várias soluções alternativas para o quebra-mar. A presente comunicação descreve os estudos realizados em modelo numérico para: a) o estabelecimento de regimes de agitação no exterior do porto, b) a caracterização da agitação e ressonância no interior do porto; c) a avaliação dos impactes do prolongamento do quebra-mar nas condições de agitação da praia de Matosinhos.

No âmbito do projeto HYDRALAB+ (H2020-INFRAIA-2014-2015), foi realizado no LNEC um conjunto de ensaios em modelo físico bidimensional (2D) de um perfil de um quebra-mar de talude em enrocamento, construído à escala geométrica 1:30, para diferentes condições de agitação marítima e níveis de maré correspondentes a cenários de alterações climáticas. Estas experiências tinham como objetivo analisar o dano, o espraiamento e o galgamento, nesses cenários.Em paralelo, na Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto (FEUP), e em colaboração com Deltares, NL, foram realizados testes com a mesma configuração do quebra-mar, mas utilizando um modelo físico tridimensional (3D), à escala geométrica 1:35. Os resultados obtidos permitiram analisar a evolução do dano no manto resistente do quebra-mar (talude anterior, talude posterior e cabeça), assim como o galgamento, para condições de teste com e sem sobrelevação do nível médio da água do mar, considerando ou não a reconstrução do talude do quebramar entre testes consecutivos de uma mesma série de testes. Foram também realizados testes com ondas multidirecionais.O presente trabalho incide sobre a análise da evolução do dano para as diferentes sequências de tempestade em cenários de alterações climáticas. O dano é avaliado com base no tradicional método de contagem de blocos removidos e ainda com base no parâmetro adimensional do dano, S recorrendo a técnicas estereofotogramétricas.Em termos gerais, concluiu-se que o dano era mais elevado na proximidade do nível de repouso da água e que aumentava com a altura de onda significativa. Os danos foram, em geral, menores nos testes com ondas multidirecionais. Observaram-se, ainda, diferenças significativas entre os testes com danos cumulativos e com reconstrução do quebra-mar após cada teste. Nos ensaios realizados no LNEC com aumento do nível médio do mar e alternância entre dois níveis de maré, verificou-se um ligeiro aumento do dano devido ao aumento faixa onde ocorre erosão do perfil.

This paper presents a series of tests on a reduced physical model to reproduce the behavior of a moored oil tanker. The measurement techniques used and all the instrumentation are presented. Data analysis techniques are also presented. The objective of the tests is the characterization of the incident marine agitation and the response of the ship, including the movements according to 6 degrees of freedom and the forces in the mooring system.The tests were carried out in one of the tanks of the Marine Hydraulic Pavilion of the National Laboratory of Civil Engineering, using for the generation of marine agitation a batter capable of generating irregular waves.The vessel used is a scale model of the "Esso Osaka" tanker with a length of 3.43 m, a width of 0.53 m and a maximum draft of 0.23 m and is lying in terminal A of the Port of Leixões. The entire port area was built at 1:80 scale, including bathymetry and port structures. The waves are generated outside the port to the bathymetric of -20m ZHL (zero hydrographic of Leixões). Several sea states were simulated with irregular waves with periods between 10s and 16s and significant wave heights between 2m and 6m.The vessel is instrumented with an optical motion capture system according to the six degrees of freedom, composed of 4 cameras of high resolution that allows to follow the position of several targets placed in the ship and 6 load cells to measure the forces in the moorings and defenses. The measurement of free surface elevation was performed with a set of resistive probes and an ADV.

O sistema de proteção costeira da Cova-Gala, a sul da Figueira da Foz, inclui defesas longitudinais aderentes datadas de 1975 que têm como objetivo proteger a povoação da ação do mar. Ao longo dos anos têm-se registado eventos de galgamento destas obras que colocam em risco pessoas e bens. Face a uma possível subida do nível do mar na costa oeste portuguesa, é importante analisar a sua influência no agravamento do galgamento destas estruturas. Para tal, calculou-se o galgamento com a fórmula de Mase et al. (2013) utilizando as condições de agitação ao largo e níveis de mar obtidas de modelos de hindcast. Calculou-se ainda o caudal galgado para as mesmas condições de agitação e diferentes projeções de subida do nível do mar. A comparação de resultados permitiu concluir sobre o efeito da subida do nível do mar no galgamento para os valores considerados.

Usually, physical model tests support the design of breakwaters considering different incident wave conditions, including extreme events. This paper describes two-dimensional physical model tests of a rock armour breakwater, performed at LNEC´s experimental facilities, under the framework of the HYDRALAB+ project. The goal of the present work is to evaluate damage evolution under wave conditions resulting from future climate change scenarios. Test results are presented in terms of the non-dimensional damage parameter (S) and of the percentage of displaced armour units (D). The data analysis is focused on the cumulative damage progression related with wave parameters as Hmax and H2%, for the imposed storm sequences. The use of the stability number (Ns), considering both H=Hs and H=H2% revealed a good agreement in order to characterize its relationship with damage evolution. On the other hand, the use of Hmax revealed a decrease of the linearity on damage evolution.

Usually, physical model tests support the design of breakwaters considering different incident wave conditions, including extreme events. This paper describes two-dimensional physical model tests of a rock armour breakwater, performed at LNEC´s experimental facilities, under the framework of the HYDRALAB+ project. The goal of the present work is to evaluate damage evolution under wave conditions resulting from future climate change scenarios. Test results are presented in terms of the non-dimensional damage parameter (S) and of the percentage of displaced armour units (D). The data analysis is focused on the cumulative damage progression related with wave parameters as Hmax and H2%, for the imposed storm sequences. The use of the stability number (Ns), considering both H=Hs and H=H2% revealed a good agreement in order to characterize its relationship with damage evolution. On the other hand, the use of Hmax revealed a decrease of the linearity on damage evolution.

Nesta comunicação descreve-se a análise bidimensional (2D) em modelo físico do espraiamento e galgamento de um quebra-mar de talude, em cenários de alterações climáticas, realizado no âmbito do projeto HYDRALAB+ (H2020-INFRAIA-2014-2015). Com efeito, a subida do nível médio do mar, bem como o aumento da intensidade e frequência de temporais, previsível em tais cenários, pode dar origem a fenómenos de espraiamento e galgamento das estruturas de proteção costeiras e portuárias, cada vez mais intensos e frequentes, tornando as estruturas mais vulneráveis, bem como as zonas por elas protegidas.Assim, num canal de ondas irregulares do LNEC, foi construído um perfil de um quebra-mar de enrocamento, à escala 1:30, e definido um programa de 15 ensaios, considerando valores de altura de onda significativa, período de pico e níveis de água representativos de condições de agitação incidente extremas, a que se poderão associar os referidos cenários de alterações climáticas.Para cada ensaio, efetuaram-se medições da elevação da superfície livre, do espraiamento e do caudal médio galgado. Os valores experimentais de espraiamento e de galgamento foram comparados com os previstos pelas formulações empíricas do EurOtop, para um dos cenários de alterações climáticas testado.

This paper describes a programme under the responsibility of LNEC for the systematic observation and monitoring of maritime works, termed OSOM+, that has successfully been applied to an extensive number of maritime structures on the Portuguese mainland coast and abroad.The OSOM+ programme comprises the following four main components for each structure: Periodic visual inspections by a trained technician; Periodic aerial inspections with a UAV/drone; The ANOSOM-GIS database, to store and/or query obtained information, as well as to diagnose present, evolution and risk conditions; A mobile, portable, application, for real-time input and visualization of the database information.This recently updated methodology encompasses a number of tools and functionalities that are illustrated in this paper with applications to a real case scenario, the Ericeira

This paper describes the physical model, experimental setup and tests performed at the Portuguese Civil Engineering Laboratory (LNEC), to study the motions and forces of a moored ship at the Leixões port, for different sea states in irregular waves. The tests were carried out at one of the wave tanks of LNEC, where the Leixões port layout was implemented at scale 1:80 with the detailed model similar to the prototype bathymetry and surrounding structures. The moored ship is a 3.43 m long scale model of the well-known

Scour protections are commonly designed according to semi-empiric methodologies, which are based on a deterministic approach. This often results in overestimated dimensions of the protection, namely, regarding the required minimum stone size for offshore engineering. Therefore, excessive costs of the protection are expected, when the deterministic design methodology is used. Moreover, these methodologies do not provide a measure of safety associated to the design of the scour protection. In this paper, one uses copulas theory to model the correlated long-term behaviour of the significant wave height and peak period. The statistical models are then used to address the probability of failure of a case study scour protection. The results show that the copula models influence the safety assessment of the scour protection. The research also includes a brief analysis of physical model tests, which were successfully used to define dynamically and statically stable scour protections for the case study analysed.

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