KIOST Scientifically Analyzes the Effects of Submerged Breakwater Installations

Capable of Addressing Intensifying Erosion Issues
Driven by Climate Change and Increased Coastal Activities

The Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (President Lee Heeseung, KIOST) has scientifically analyzed the impact of submerged breakwater installations on coastal environments and published the related research results in an international academic journal.

As coastal erosion accelerates due to climate change and increased coastal development activities, the socio-economic risks are growing, including the loss of beach sand, damage to fishing ports and coastal facilities, and flooding disasters.

Accordingly, there is an urgent need to develop scientific and eco-friendly alternatives that go beyond simple disaster prevention facilities, allowing for the preservation of landscapes and waterfront spaces while effectively preventing coastal disasters.

The research team led by Dr. Noh Min of the Marine Spatial Development and Energy Research Division at KIOST focused on submerged breakwaters, which are advantageous for maintaining landscapes and securing waterfront spaces, and can reduce waves and coastal erosion through proper design. Utilizing the non-hydrostatic numerical model NHWAVE, the team analyzed wave transformation and shoreline changes in coastal areas where submerged breakwaters are installed.

NHWAVE (Non-Hydrostatic Wave Model) is a three-dimensional wave dynamics numerical model based on non-hydrostatic principles, developed by the University of Delaware in the United States. It can reproduce the entire process of wave generation, development, propagation, and dissipation, and is used to precisely predict various coastal phenomena such as waves, tsunamis, and coastal erosion.

The analysis found that the wave reduction effect of submerged breakwaters varies depending on the depth at which the breakwater is submerged below the water surface and its distance from the shoreline. The effect of lowering wave heights was greatest when the breakwater was submerged at a shallow depth and when the incoming waves had longer periods, due to stronger breaking.

In addition, the closer the breakwater was to the shoreline, the more the phenomenon of wave heights increasing again near the rear side of the breakwater was mitigated. Furthermore, the rotational flow generated at both ends of the submerged breakwater and the strong jet flow in the center, caused by wave breaking, affected the flow patterns of waves behind the breakwater. These flow patterns were found to be major factors determining shoreline erosion or deposition.

This research is expected to contribute to disaster prevention, such as reducing flood damage caused by coastal erosion, by scientifically clarifying changes in coastal space and presenting optimal installation conditions for submerged breakwaters based on these findings.

The research team plans to quantitatively predict coastal topography changes by combining this approach with sediment transport numerical models and to verify the results through hydraulic experiments, thereby securing the performance and disaster prevention functions of complex disaster prevention structures such as submerged breakwaters.

KIOST has established a 'Hydrodynamics Laboratory' ten times the size of a tennis court, where large-scale hydraulic model experiments and numerical analysis studies are conducted by artificially generating waves and currents to evaluate wave, overtopping, and coastal erosion reduction.

Lee Heeseung, President of KIOST, stated, "This research is significant in that it enhances our capacity to respond to coastal disasters and promotes sustainable coastal development through the creation of environmentally friendly spaces. KIOST will continue to contribute to the creation of safe coastal areas by investigating the performance of submerged breakwaters in response to changes in the marine environment."

KIOST Hydrodynamics Laboratory Building.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.