A spatial-temporal model is developed for modelling the impacts of simulated coastal zone storm surge and flooding using a combined spatial mapping and system dynamics approach. By coupling geographic information systems (GIS) and system dynamics, the interconnecting components of the spatial-temporal model are used with limited historical data to evaluate storm damage. Overlapping cumulative effects layers in GIS (ArcMap) are used for describing the coastal community’s profile, and a system dynamics feedback model (STELLA) is developed to define the interconnecting component relationships of the community. The component-wise changes to the physical environment, community infrastructure, and socioeconomic resources from the storm surge and seal level rise are examined. These changes are used to assess the impacts of the community system as a whole. For the purpose of illustrating this model, the research is applied specifically to the case of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, a vulnerable coastal city subject to considerable impacts from pending sea level rise and more frequent severe storm surge attributed to the changing climate in the coastal zone.

With the number of wind power units (WPUs) on the rise worldwide, it is inevitable that some of these would be exposed to natural disasters like tsunamis and it will become a necessity to consider their effects in the design process of WPUs. This study initially attempts to quantify the forces acting on an existing WPU due to a tsunami bore impact. Surge and bore heights of 2m, 5m and 10m are used to compute the forces using the commercially available full 3D Navier Stokes equation solver FLOW3D. The applicability of FLOW3D to solve these types of problems is examined by comparing results obtained from the numerical simulations to those determined by small scale laboratory experiments. The simulated tsunami forces on the WPU are input into a simplified numerical structural model of the WPU to determine its dynamic response. The tsunami force is also used to obtain base excitation which when applied on the WPU would be equivalent dynamically to the tsunami forces acting on it. This base excitation is useful to obtain the response of the WPU experimentally, the setup for which is available at University of California, San Diego's (UCSD) Large High Performance Outdoor Shake Table (LHPOST). The facility allows full scale experimental setup capable of subjecting a 65kW Nordtank wind turbine to random base excitations. A stress analysis of turbine tower cross section is performed in order to assess the structural integrity of the WPU. It has been determined that the WPU is unsafe for bore/surge heights above 5 m. It has also been postulated that the structural responses could be considerable in case of the taller multi megawatt wind power units of present day.

This thesis presents a technique for storm surge forecasting. Storm surge is the water that is pushed toward the shore by the force of the winds swirling around the storm. This advancing surge combines with the normal tides to create the hurricane storm tide, which can increase the mean water level by almost 20 feet. Numerical modeling is an important tool used for storm surge forecast. Numerical model ADCIRC (Advanced Circulation model; Luettich et al, 1992) is used in this thesis for simulating hurricanes. A statistical technique, EST (Empirical Statistical Technique) is used to generate life cycle storm surge values from the simulated hurricanes. These two models have been applied to Freeport, TX. The thesis also compares the results with the model SLOSH (Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes), which is currently used for evacuation and planning. The present approach of classifying hurricanes according to their maximum sustained winds is analyzed. This approach is not found to applicable in all the cases and more research needs to be done. An alternate approach is suggested for hurricane storm surge estimation.

A spatial-temporal model is developed for modelling the impacts of simulated coastal zone storm surge and flooding using a combined spatial mapping and system dynamics approach. By coupling geographic information systems (GIS) and system dynamics, the interconnecting components of the spatial-temporal model are used with limited historical data to evaluate storm damage. Overlapping cumulative effects layers in GIS (ArcMap) are used for describing the coastal community’s profile, and a system dynamics feedback model (STELLA) is developed to define the interconnecting component relationships of the community. The component-wise changes to the physical environment, community infrastructure, and socioeconomic resources from the storm surge and seal level rise are examined. These changes are used to assess the impacts of the community system as a whole. For the purpose of illustrating this model, the research is applied specifically to the case of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, a vulnerable coastal city subject to considerable impacts from pending sea level rise and more frequent severe storm surge attributed to the changing climate in the coastal zone.

Coastal storm surges from hurricanes are one of the most costly natural disasters in the United States (US). Current research arguably indicates a mean sea-level (MSL) increase due to global warming, as well as an increase in damages caused by hurricanes under climate change. The objectives of this research are: 1) to develop a framework that integrates Geographical Information Systems (GIS) with hurricane storm surge numerical models; 2) to quantify the uncertainty derived from coastal land cover spatial data on hurricane storm surge; and 3) to investigate the potential impacts of SLR changes on land cover to hurricane storm surge and coastal damages. Numerical analysis is an important tool for predicting and simulating storm surges for coastal structure design, planning and disaster mitigation. Here we proposed a framework to integrate Geographical Information Systems (GIS) with computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models used to simulate hurricane storm surge. The geodatamodel "Arc StormSurge" is designed to store geospatial information for hurricane storm surge modeling and GIS tools are designed to integrate the high performance computing (HPC) input and output files to GIS; pre-process geospatial data and post-process model results, thereby, streamlining the delineation of coastal flood maps. Georeferenced information of land cover is used to define the frictional drag at the sea bottom and to infer modifications to the momentum transmitted to the water column by the winds. We investigated uncertainties in the surge response arising from land cover for Texas central bays considering several land cover datasets. The uncertainties were quantified based on the mean maximum surge response and inundated area extent. Considering projected SLR, wetland composition and spatial distribution are also expected to change with coastal environmental conditions. Our results showed that wetland degradation by SLR increased the mean maximum surge for coastal bays. Direct damage to buildings and businesses was also significantly increased by the loss of wetlands due to SLR. Here, we demonstrated the importance of considering the effects of land cover and SLR to hurricane storm surge simulations for coastal structure design, floodplain delineation or coastal planning.

Σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας είναι η μελέτη της συμπεριφοράς των καθοδικών αλεξικέραυνων στις γραμμές μεταφοράς ηλεκτρικής ενέργειας όταν καταπονούνται από κεραυνούς. Είναι γνωστό πως οι πειραματικές μετρήσεις που μπορούν να γίνουν για την διάγνωση της συμπεριφοράς των αλεξικέραυνων είναι επίπονες, λόγω της ίδιας της φύσης του κεραυνού, και βεβαίως δαπανηρές. Οπότε γεννάται η ανάγκη δημιουργίας κάποιων μοντέλων που προσεγγίζουν όσο πιο ρεαλιστικά γίνεται τις πραγματικές συνθήκες καταπόνησης των αλεξικέραυνων. / The purpose of this paper is to study the behavior of metal oxide surge arresters on power lines when they are strained by lightning. It is known that experimental measurements, which can be performed to diagnose the behavior of surge arresters are difficult, because of the very nature of lightning, and certainly costly. Thus rises the need for some models, which represent as much as possible realistically the real stress condition of surge arresters.

Terrestrial glacial geomorphology has long been used to evaluate the extent, chronology and dynamics of former glaciers and ice sheets. New marine geophysical methods provide an opportunity to study the glacial submarine morphology of modern continental shelves and fjord systems. This makes it possible to study landform assemblages in the submarine settings that are often better preserved than their terrestrial counterparts. This study focuses mainly on the recent surge history of the tidewater glacier Tunabreen, which calves into Tempelfjorden in Western Spitsbergen. Tunabreen is a small outlet glacier of the Lomonosovfonna ice cap and has experienced severalsurges and terminal retreats during the last century. The multiple surge events havemost likely removed or reworked landform assemblages created by earlier surges,resulting in a complex geomorphological imprint on the bed of Tempelfjorden. Tunabreen has left a specific morphological imprint on the sea floor, consisting of iceflow‐parallel lineations and generally flow‐transverse retreat moraines. Comparisonof retreat moraines mapped from high resolution multibeam bathymetric data andglacier terminal positions, established using remote sensing imagery suggest that themoraines in the inner part of Tempelfjorden are annually formed recessionalmoraines, formed during winter still stands of the glacier margin or during its minorreadvances. Although detailed reconstruction of glacier surge dynamics based solelyon the landform distribution is challenging, it is evident that Tunabreen hasexperienced fast flow during surges and semiannual retreat of the margin after thesurges. The main achievements of this study are a spatial reconstruction of the dynamics ofTunabreen, which has experienced three surges during the last hundred years.Together with the Little Ice Age surge of the adjacent von Postbreen, four recentsurges have been recorded in Tempelfjorden since 1870, which distinguishes thestudy area from earlier studied Svalbard tidewater surge glacier settigs, where theglaciers have been known to surge only once or twice. However a detailedunderstanding of surge triggering mechanisms and their role in controlling thedynamics of the tidewater glaciers in Svalbard is still poor and requires furtherinvestigations. Svalbard, where most of the small outlet glaciers are believed to be ofsurge type, is an excellent natural laboratory for such investigations.

A spatial-temporal model is developed for modelling the impacts of simulated coastal zone storm surge and flooding using a combined spatial mapping and system dynamics approach. By coupling geographic information systems (GIS) and system dynamics, the interconnecting components of the spatial-temporal model are used with limited historical data to evaluate storm damage. Overlapping cumulative effects layers in GIS (ArcMap) are used for describing the coastal community’s profile, and a system dynamics feedback model (STELLA) is developed to define the interconnecting component relationships of the community. The component-wise changes to the physical environment, community infrastructure, and socioeconomic resources from the storm surge and seal level rise are examined. These changes are used to assess the impacts of the community system as a whole. For the purpose of illustrating this model, the research is applied specifically to the case of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, a vulnerable coastal city subject to considerable impacts from pending sea level rise and more frequent severe storm surge attributed to the changing climate in the coastal zone.

Urbanization in coastal areas of the United States is increasing as simultaneously the East and Gulf coasts of the United States face increasing threats from climate change from hurricanes and storm surge inundation. This study will evaluate urban growth using a cellular automata model to analyze the trends in urbanization between 1996 and 2019 and predict how it will continue until 2050. The study uses historical trends in land use and urbanization, as well as spatial and environmental data, to evaluate the likelihood of urban growth in two modeled scenarios: one that accounts for flood risk and one that does not. The study evaluates trends over the entire coastal buffer area, including the 150-kilometers adjacent to the East and Gulf coasts as well as targeted areas of New Orleans, Louisiana and Houston, Texas to determine growth at the scale of a metropolitan area. Both the scenarios have an overall prediction accuracy of 93% in determining the projected land use of a cell on the gridded map; however, the two models have different strengths. The scenario excluding storm surge impacts better predicts urban growth across the entire study area categorically, while the scenario accounting for the suitability of growth in areas at risk of storm surge inundation is more reliable in showing the specific areas urban growth occurred. The comparison of the strengths and weaknesses of the models will help determine if urbanization and population shifts are impacted by threats of storm surge and hurricanes in the study area. The outcome of the model analysis can be used to influence how communities burdened by climate change can strategically grow to limit the impacts of flooding on their residents and infrastructure. / Master of Science / The flood impacts of hurricanes regularly impact the coastline of the United States, however populations in the same coastal areas are continuing to grow. This study models how cities are growing along East and Gulf coasts and the factors influencing that growth. The concern with increasing urban areas in coastal areas is that these areas are also being affected by climate change, which can cause flooding and other dangerous conditions. These flood events are a risk to human lives and the built environment of the communities. This study uses a computer model to analyze how these cities are growing using historic data from 1996 to 2019 and how they will continue to grow through 2050. The model considers factors like the risk of flooding, as well as information about the land and environment in these areas. This study used this information to identify how cities are growing and determine if there is a need to better account for flooding risks and other problems caused by climate change as growth continues. The work looked at two different scenarios, one that accounts for flood risk and one that allows growth without concern for flood risk, to see which one more closely models historic growth. This study will help communities along the coast make smart decisions about how to grow and adapt to the challenges of climate change.

Barrier islands can protect the mainland from flooding during storms through reduction of storm surge and dissipation of storm generated wave energy. However, the protective capability is reduced when barrier islands breach and a direct hydrodynamic connection between the water bodies on both sides of the barrier island is established. Breaching of barrier islands during large storm events is complicated, involving nonlinear processes that connect water, sediment transport, dune height, and island width among other factors. In order to assess the impacts barrier island breaching has on flooding on the mainland, we modified a storm surge model, GeoClaw, to impose a Gaussian bell-curve on the barrier island that opens during a hurricane simulation and deepened over time. We added a new method of generating storm surge with storm forcing inputs in the form of wind and pressure fields to expand GeoClaw's current utilization of best track information so that storm forcing from planetary boundary layer models can also be utilized in simulations. We created a statistical method to assess the sensitivity of mainland storm-surge to barrier island breaching by randomizing the location, time, and extent of a breach event across the barrier island at Moriches, NY. My results show that total mainland inundation is affected by the changes in location, size, timing and numbers of breaches. Total inundation has a logarithmic relationship with total breach area and breach location is an important predictor of inundation and bay surge. The insights from this study can help prepare shoreline communities for the differing ways that breaching affects the mainland coastline. The model updates created can also allow others to use this framework to study differing regions. Understanding which mainland locations are vulnerable to breaching, planners and coastal engineers can design interventions to reduce the likelihood of a breach occurring in areas adjacent to high flood risk. / Doctor of Philosophy / Storm surge is one of the most deadly and expensive parts of a hurricane. Storm surge can be reduced if a barrier island exists near the mainland coastline. The sand dunes, beach vegetation, and size of the island aid in reducing the waves and storm-surge generated by large storms. When a barrier island breaches it causes a channel of water that connects the ocean and the bay that separates the island from the mainland. This channel of water allows waves and storm surge to be directly pushed into the bay, increasing the storm surge along the mainland coast. Breaching is complex with many factors such as dune size and total island width determining when or where a breach will form. In order to study how breaching affects the mainland during a hurricane, we chose a program that simulates storm surge from a hurricane, made a simple breaching calculation that opens a hole in a sand dune on a barrier island so that the ocean and bay are directly connected and the storm surge can pass through this hole, and enabled the program to use storm data that is pre-computed rather than generated during the simulation. In order to understand how breaching impacts the mainland coast at Moriches, NY, we simulated a hurricane and varied the number, size, and time of different breaches. We learned that total of all breach dimensions has a linear relationship to the amount of coastal flooding up to a threshold, where the breaches cover most of the island. Coastal communities can use the results of this study to determine where to put interventions in place that will reduce the impacts of barrier island breaching, update flood risk maps, and warn community members of changes in their location's risk assessment. Additionally, other regions with barrier islands nearby can use the software updates we created to study their own regions and assess different risk patterns than this study.