RESCUER

Start date: 1 February 2024

End date: 31 January 2028

Project summary

The Doctoral Network (DN) "RESCUER" (Resilient Solutions for Coastal, Urban, Estuarine and Riverine Environments) will focus on the training of young researchers (Fellows) in the general area of coastal oceanography, hydraulic and coastal engineering, applied mathematics and scientific computing. The network will take advantage of advances in the numerical treatment of hydrodynamic equations over the last decade to create multi-physics models capable of addressing pressing needs in the practical modelling of various phenomena in the coastal zone with the aim of improving the overall safety of coastal areas.

Ensuring the safety of onshore and offshore real estate and commercial developments requires an integrated approach, including phase-resolved wave modelling, tracking and mitigation of morphological changes, potential flooding in urban areas, and water quality monitoring. While protective structures and contingency plans for catastrophic waves and storm surges are well established, the confluence of global warming and sea level rise with other known natural risk factors and increased human activity creates a new set of hazards and requires a new way of thinking about coastal modelling and planning mitigation strategies.

To address the challenges described above, we will rely on numerical techniques that, in each case, are tested with existing models and validated with experiments and field measurements. In our work with consulting companies and government agencies, we have identified a trend towards coupled models rather than the traditionally used stand-alone models and a need for operational capabilities. These needs will be addressed using new multi-physics models, state-of-the-art numerical methods, image recognition algorithms and innovative programming techniques such as GPU programming. The synergistic interaction of physical modelling, numerical analysis and large-scale simulation with laboratory experiments and field work plays an essential role in this network.
 

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