RAPID: Innovative Use of Vegetation to Mitigate Overtopping Hazard of Levees due to Hurricane-induced Waves

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Proposal No: 1005627The objective of this project is to quantify the ecosystem services provided by trees on the seaward side of a levee to minimize wave overtopping. Since it is extremely difficult to conduct small-scale studies that correctly mimic the biomechanical properties of plants, it is necessary to approach this problem using prototype-scale testing with natural plants. The experiments will be conducted in the 104 m long Large Wave Flume (LWF) at the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory at Oregon State University. Currently, the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory is contracted to conduct full-scale levee overtopping tests through funding from the Department of Homeland Security. The project runs from October 1 to December 11, 2009. After this date, the levee is scheduled to be demolished to make way for a wave energy test on January 11. Since the LWF is not committed for December 12- January 8, there is a narrow window of opportunity for performing the proposed research, leveraging the existing experiments supported by DHS. This project will serve as the Master?s Thesis for one graduate student, with involvement of 4 undergraduate students. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will be involved in an advisory role for this project, and project outcomes will be provided to USACE to develop further collaborative projects on sustainable approaches to mitigating natural coastal hazards.Bruce HamiltonProgram DirectorEnvironmental Sustainability10/29/09