COASTAL RESILIENCE & CLIMATE ADAPTATION

Nature-based Coastal Resilience

This work leverages 3D smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) to examine the interactions between breaking waves and a coastal structure in the presence of emergent mangroves. The realistic trunk and prop root geometry of a typical Rhizophora apiculata tree was modeled using SPH at 1:7 scale based on a 3D-scanned image. A parametric investigation subsequently explored the contribution of mangroves arranged into eight different configurations in transforming the total force and pressure distribution on a vertical wall produced by a plunging breaker. Ultimately, this research suggests that even relatively small mangrove cross-shores can play a major role in dampening wave impact on coastal infrastructure.

Select Publications

Wang, S., Chang, C.-W. (2025). SPH simulations to investigate the influence of realistic mangroves in reducing breaking wave forces on coastal structures. Ocean Engineering, 316

Tsunami Overtopping of Coastal Levees

Tsunami-induced overflow poses a major threat to coastal levees, yet the hydraulic performance of levees reinforced with dual-row retaining walls (DRRWs) remains insufficiently understood. This study leverages smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) to evaluate how the geometry of DRRWs (i.e., tied double-sheet pile walls confining a soil core) modify overtopping and loading processes under tsunami-induced overflow conditions. Results show that DRRWs with steeper levee slopes and optimized sheet-pile heights significantly outperform traditional levees of comparable cross-sectional area in reducing wave overflow/overtopping, dynamic pressure at the leeward toe, and impact forces on downstream structures.

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Arzouga, S., Wang, S. (2026). Geometric investigation of dual-row retaining walls under tsunami-like solitary waves via smoothed particle hydrodynamics. Ocean Engineering, 364

Breaking Wave Impact on Elevated Structures

Elevated structures are prevalent along shorelines that are susceptible to storm surge flooding to improve coastal resilience. In this work, we explore the influence of front wall inclination on the pressures and forces attracted by an elevated structure in response to extreme wave impact. Multiphase smoothed-particle hydrodynamics (SPH) was used to examine a typical two-story building 6 m high and 10 m long with three different frontal wall inclinations impinged by a single breaking wave propagating landwards. Relative to a vertical surface, both positive and negative inclinations of the front wall altered breaking wave pressures depending on the structure's position relative to the still-water level.

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Pawitan, K. A., Garlock, M., Wang, S. (2024). Multiphase SPH analysis of a breaking wave impact on elevated structures with vertical and inclined walls. Applied Ocean Research, 142

Kinetic Umbrellas as Adaptable Aquatecture

We present a radical rethinking of conventional coastal armor via the development of “Kinetic Umbrellas” inspired by the architecture of master builder Félix Candela. Unlike traditional floodwalls or levees which rely on sheer mass alone, Kinetic Umbrellas are remarkably thin shells that utilize the double curvature of hyperbolic paraboloids (hypar) to resist surge and wave forces associated with landfalling tropical cyclones. As a kinetic structure, these umbrellas only deploy into an impermeable barrier prior to imminent hazard scenarios but remain a canopy during normal weather such that beach access is not impeded.

A decoupled numerical scheme constituting smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) and finite element modeling (FEM) was leveraged for the structural analysis of deployed Kinetic Umbrellas under arbitrary hydrodynamic forcing. It was revealed that the effects of double curvature dramatically reduces out-of-plane stresses that typically limit the performance of thin shells. Hydrodynamic modeling confirmed that Kinetic Umbrellas proved structurally viable against surge inundation and wave attack consistent with Hurricane Sandy (2012) at Monmouth Beach, NJ.

This research has been recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers via the Moisseiff Award and has gained domestic and media attention such as:

• USA Today

• Gizmodo

• NewSphere (in Japanese)

Select Publications

Wu, G., Garlock, M., Wang, S. (2022). A Decoupled SPH-FEM Analysis of Hydrodynamic Wave Pressure on Hyperbolic-Paraboloid Thin-shell Coastal Armor and Corresponding Structural Response. Engineering Structures, 268

Wang, S., Garlock, M., Deike, L., Glisic, B. (2022). Feasibility of Kinetic Umbrellas as deployable flood barriers during landfalling hurricanes. Journal of Structural Engineering (ASCE), 148 (5)

Wang, S., Garlock, M., Glisic, B. (2021). Kinematics of deployable hyperbolic paraboloid umbrellas. Engineering Structures, 244

Wang, S., Notario, V., Garlock, M., Glisic, B. (2021). Parameterization of hydrostatic behavior of deployable hypar umbrellas as flood barriers. Thin-Walled Structures, 163

Wang, S., Garlock, M., Glisic, B. (2021). Parametric modeling of depth-limited wave spectra under hurricane conditions with applications to Kinetic Umbrellas against storm surge inundation. Water, 13

Wang, S., Garlock, M., Glisic, B. (2020). Hydrostatic response of deployable hyperbolic-paraboloid umbrellas as coastal armor. Journal of Structural Engineering (ASCE), 146 (6)