Coastal Environment and Sediment Transport (CEST)

The Coastal Environment and Sediment Transport (CEST) objectives are to (i) develop small scale process models for hydrodynamics and sediment transport in the coastal environment; (ii) verify crucial aspects of these process models through laboratory experimentation in facilities designed as part of CEST for this purpose; and (iii) develop the necessary linkages to properly account for and incorporate small scale processes in larger, systems level models. The main theoretical work will involve the development of a combined wave-current sediment transport model that is integrated to remove temporal scales associated with individual wind-waves. Ultimately, this large-scale sediment transport model will be incorporated into the hydrodynamic circulation model (or run separately after the hydrodynamic model has provided the circulation). Other theoretical developments relate to the 3D generalization of a surf zone process model. The main experimental research will involve the design, construction, and testing a unique Wave-Current-Sediment (WCS) interaction facility (improved version of the Delft Oscillating Water Tunnel) in order to validate predictions of the small-scale sediment transport model. Other experimental studies on oblique wave-current interactions will be performed using existing wave basin facilities at NUS. CEST linkages to other modeling efforts will include:

(1) Rigorous testing the performance of existing large scale numerical circulation models (FVCOM, POM, and SLON);
(2) Development of bottom boundary modules to represent seafloor roughness, including effects of wind-waves, in large scale circulation models;
(3) Application and validation of the SWAN wind-wave model in Singapore waters.