Coastal engineering

Coastal engineering

A branch of civil engineering that applies engineering principles specifically to projects within the coastal zone including areas nearshore, estuary, marine, and shoreline.

Industry: Engineering

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Coastal engineering

Tidal bench mark

Engineering; Coastal engineering

A bench mark whose elevation has been determined with respect to mean sea level at a nearby tide gauge; the tidal bench mark is used as reference for that tide gauge.

Birdfoot delta

Engineering; Coastal engineering

A river delta formed by many levee-bordered distributaries extending seaward and resembling in plan the outstretched claws of a bird. Example: Mississippi River delta.

Hypothetical hurricane

Engineering; Coastal engineering

A representation of a hurricane, with specified characteristics, that is assumed to occur in a particular study area, following a specified path and timing sequence.

Density-driven circulation

Engineering; Coastal engineering

Variations in salinity create variations in density in estuaries. These variations in density create horizontal pressure gradients, which drive estuarine circulation.

Dike

Engineering; Coastal engineering

Earth structure along sea or river in order to protect low lands from flooding by high water; dikes along rivers are sometimes called levees. Sometimes written as dyke

Hypohurricane

Engineering; Coastal engineering

A representation of a hurricane, with specified characteristics, that is assumed to occur in a particular study area, following a specified path and timing sequence.

Prodelta

Engineering; Coastal engineering

The part of a delta that is below the effective depth of wave erosion, lying beyond the delta front and sloping down into the basin into which the delta is advancing.