(Ebook) Coastal Processes by C. A. Brebbia, G. Benassai, G. R. (editors) Rodriguez ISBN 9781845642006, 1845642007

(Ebook) Coastal Processes by C. A. Brebbia, G. Benassai, G. R. (editors) Rodriguez ISBN 9781845642006, 1845642007

This book contains research presented at the International Conference on Physical Coastal Processes, Management and Engineering.The unrelenting demand on the coast by recreational and tourism activities has increased the need for shore and beach protection as well as the construction of artificial beaches, ports and harbors. Many coastlines are subjected to the direct impact of wind, swell and storm wave activity. As a result, wind-and wave-driven currents are the dominant mechanisms controlling littoral sand transport and determining the nearshoremorphology. In addition, many other physical phenomena, such as tides andassociated currents, long waves and storm surges, can play a significant rolein the dynamic behaviour of the coastal zone. Special relevance must also beattributed to extreme events.Distinctive features of coastal zone dynamics are not only due to thenearshore hydrodynamics, but also to the complex local behavior of theatmosphere. Understanding the meteorology of the coastal zone is complicated by the inherent heterogeneity of its atmospheric boundary layer, due to theirregularity of the coastal topography and the different land sea surfaceroughness and thermal properties. As a result, complex interactions occurbetween the atmosphere, ocean and land, inducing large temporal and spatial variations in air-sea exchange processes and wind strength and direction.