Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 104835 |
| Journal | Coastal engineering |
| Volume | 202 |
| Early online date | 28 Jul 2025 |
| Publication status | Published - 15 Dec 2025 |
Abstract
Coastal dunes are a critical natural defense against storm surges and sea level rise, yet their stability is increasingly compromised by intensified hydrodynamic forces. To withstand stronger and more frequent storm surges as a result of climate change, engineered natural coastal barriers play an important role. This study systematically investigates the potential of artificial root system surrogates based on the root structure of Ammophila arenaria to augment dune stability under simulated storm surge conditions. Laboratory experiments were conducted in a 1.0 m wide and 90.0 m long wave flume, replicating the geomorphological characteristics of a dune profile from Sankt Peter-Ording, Germany, at a scale of 1:7. Three surrogate materials (i) coir grid, (ii) basalt grid, and (iii) coir mat were evaluated across three distinct placement configurations (Crest-only, Crest-Slope and Crest-Slope-Foot) under hydrodynamic regimes corresponding to collision, minor overwash, and heavy overwash. High-resolution 3D-lidar scanning provided quantitative, continuous assessments of erosion volumes and dune profile changes. The experimental results indicate that the flexibility of the materials, particularly coir grid and coir mat, substantially mitigates erosion through attenuation of incoming waves and sediment retention, while the relatively stiffer basalt grid exhibits inferior performance. Comparative analyses of small-scale experiments demonstrate that strategically designed artificial root systems can reduce erosion by 13.3 % to 47.6 %, thereby matching or surpassing the 23 % to 40 % reductions documented for natural vegetation. These findings provide critical insights for advancing nature-based coastal defense strategies and highlight the necessity for further large-scale investigations to refine material properties and deployment configurations.
Keywords
- Dune erosion, Dune vegetation, Ecosystem services, Storm surge, Wave soil vegetation interaction
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Science(all)
- Environmental Engineering
- Engineering(all)
- Ocean Engineering
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Coastal engineering, Vol. 202, 104835, 15.12.2025.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Surrogate root system modeling
T2 - A hybrid dune reinforcement
AU - Ahrenbeck, Lukas
AU - Lojek, Oliver
AU - Schattmann, Johannes
AU - Mehrtens, Björn
AU - Schweiger, Constantin
AU - Kosmalla, Viktoria
AU - Schürenkamp, David
AU - Goseberg, Nils
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Authors
PY - 2025/12/15
Y1 - 2025/12/15
N2 - Coastal dunes are a critical natural defense against storm surges and sea level rise, yet their stability is increasingly compromised by intensified hydrodynamic forces. To withstand stronger and more frequent storm surges as a result of climate change, engineered natural coastal barriers play an important role. This study systematically investigates the potential of artificial root system surrogates based on the root structure of Ammophila arenaria to augment dune stability under simulated storm surge conditions. Laboratory experiments were conducted in a 1.0 m wide and 90.0 m long wave flume, replicating the geomorphological characteristics of a dune profile from Sankt Peter-Ording, Germany, at a scale of 1:7. Three surrogate materials (i) coir grid, (ii) basalt grid, and (iii) coir mat were evaluated across three distinct placement configurations (Crest-only, Crest-Slope and Crest-Slope-Foot) under hydrodynamic regimes corresponding to collision, minor overwash, and heavy overwash. High-resolution 3D-lidar scanning provided quantitative, continuous assessments of erosion volumes and dune profile changes. The experimental results indicate that the flexibility of the materials, particularly coir grid and coir mat, substantially mitigates erosion through attenuation of incoming waves and sediment retention, while the relatively stiffer basalt grid exhibits inferior performance. Comparative analyses of small-scale experiments demonstrate that strategically designed artificial root systems can reduce erosion by 13.3 % to 47.6 %, thereby matching or surpassing the 23 % to 40 % reductions documented for natural vegetation. These findings provide critical insights for advancing nature-based coastal defense strategies and highlight the necessity for further large-scale investigations to refine material properties and deployment configurations.
AB - Coastal dunes are a critical natural defense against storm surges and sea level rise, yet their stability is increasingly compromised by intensified hydrodynamic forces. To withstand stronger and more frequent storm surges as a result of climate change, engineered natural coastal barriers play an important role. This study systematically investigates the potential of artificial root system surrogates based on the root structure of Ammophila arenaria to augment dune stability under simulated storm surge conditions. Laboratory experiments were conducted in a 1.0 m wide and 90.0 m long wave flume, replicating the geomorphological characteristics of a dune profile from Sankt Peter-Ording, Germany, at a scale of 1:7. Three surrogate materials (i) coir grid, (ii) basalt grid, and (iii) coir mat were evaluated across three distinct placement configurations (Crest-only, Crest-Slope and Crest-Slope-Foot) under hydrodynamic regimes corresponding to collision, minor overwash, and heavy overwash. High-resolution 3D-lidar scanning provided quantitative, continuous assessments of erosion volumes and dune profile changes. The experimental results indicate that the flexibility of the materials, particularly coir grid and coir mat, substantially mitigates erosion through attenuation of incoming waves and sediment retention, while the relatively stiffer basalt grid exhibits inferior performance. Comparative analyses of small-scale experiments demonstrate that strategically designed artificial root systems can reduce erosion by 13.3 % to 47.6 %, thereby matching or surpassing the 23 % to 40 % reductions documented for natural vegetation. These findings provide critical insights for advancing nature-based coastal defense strategies and highlight the necessity for further large-scale investigations to refine material properties and deployment configurations.
KW - Dune erosion
KW - Dune vegetation
KW - Ecosystem services
KW - Storm surge
KW - Wave soil vegetation interaction
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105012092466&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2025.104835
DO - 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2025.104835
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105012092466
VL - 202
JO - Coastal engineering
JF - Coastal engineering
SN - 0378-3839
M1 - 104835
ER -