Overview

This one day course provides delegates with an introduction to the processes that influence sea level, including tides, storm surges and waves.  The course also provides an introduction to the methods available for estimating extreme sea levels and wave heights and producing design tidal-graphs for flood inundation modelling.  Finally, the course introduces the approaches available for estimating wave overtopping discharges.

Who should attend

The course is intended for those who will be involved in estimating extreme sea levels and wave heights for applications such as flood mapping, flood warning and Flood Risk Assessments.  It will also be of interest to professionals and managers who are reviewing coastal studies, or to those who wish to update their knowledge of extreme sea level science.

Course outcomes

At the end of this course, delegates will:

• Have a fuller appreciation of the processes that lead to coastal flood risk and the manner in which these processes interact
• Understand the complexities involved in estimating extreme sea level and wave heights and be able to carry out basic calculations
• Gain the necessary background required to review extreme sea level and wave height estimates

Topics covered

Coastal processes

• Astronomical tides
• Storm surges
• Wave generation, propagation and transformation
• Interaction of tides, surges and waves
• Sources of data available

Wave overtopping discharges

• Wave run-up and overtopping of flood defences
• Introduction to the European Overtopping Manual (Eurotop) techniques

Extreme sea level analysis

• Analysis of gauge data
• Statistical estimation of extreme sea levels (including GEV and joint probability approaches)
• Estimation of wave characteristics
• Dependence of extreme storm surge and wave events
• Climate change guidance

Summary

• Introductory one day course
• A comprehensive set of course notes will be provided
• Counts as 6 CPD/CET hours

Presenter

Dr Mark Lawless BSc MSc CSci CEnv CWEM MCIWEM