Dune Erosion During Storm Surges

Because large parts of the Netherlands lie below sea level and are largely protected from flooding by a narrow strip of sandy beaches and dunes, optimal management of this coastal strip is of vital importance. This work extends the existing knowledge of dune erosion during storm surges as it occurs along the Dutch coast. Among the areas discussed are: a large scale erosion experiment designed to improve insight into near dune hydrodynamics, sediment transport and interaction between dune face and swash zone; detailed modeling to study dune erosion physics, validated against measurements, and a morphodynamic dune erosion model applied in a variety of dune erosion conditions. This publication represents a valuable contribution to an improved understanding of dune erosion, an increasingly important area of study with regard to climate change and rising sea levels.