Unravelling Mangrove Storm Damage Resistance for Sustainable Flood Defense Safety Using 3D-Printed Mimics

Rosanna van Hespen, Alejandra Gijón Mancheño (), Maarten Kleinhans, Jim van Belzen, Celine E. J. van Bijsterveldt, Jaco de Smit, Zhan Hu (), Bas W. Borsje, Bas Hofland and Tjeerd J. Bouma
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Rosanna van Hespen: Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 4401 NT Yerseke, Zeeland, The Netherlands
Alejandra Gijón Mancheño: Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CN Delft, Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands
Maarten Kleinhans: Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Jim van Belzen: Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 4401 NT Yerseke, Zeeland, The Netherlands
Celine E. J. van Bijsterveldt: Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 4401 NT Yerseke, Zeeland, The Netherlands
Jaco de Smit: Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 4401 NT Yerseke, Zeeland, The Netherlands
Zhan Hu: Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Marine Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
Bas W. Borsje: Water Engineering and Management, University of Twente, 7522 NB Enschede, Overijssel, The Netherlands
Bas Hofland: Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CN Delft, Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands
Tjeerd J. Bouma: Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 4401 NT Yerseke, Zeeland, The Netherlands

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-24

Abstract: Mangrove forests are vital for flood reduction, yet their failure mechanisms during storms are poorly known, hampering their integration into engineered coastal protection. In this paper, we aimed to unravel the relationship between the resistance of mangrove trees to overturning and root distribution and the properties of the soil, while avoiding damage to natural mangrove forests. We therefore (i) tested the stability of 3D-printed tree mimics that imitate typical shallow mangrove root systems, mimicking both damaged and intact root systems, in sediments representing the soil properties of contrasting mangrove sites, and subsequently (ii) tested if the existing stability models for terrestrial trees are applicable for mangrove tree species, which have unique shallow root systems to survive waterlogged soils. Root systems of different complexities were modeled after Avicennia alba , Avicennia germinans , and Rhizophora stylosa , and printed at a 1:100 scale using material densities matching those of natural tree roots, to ensure the geometric scaling of overturning moments. The mimic stability increased with the soil shear strength and root plate surface area. The optimal root configuration for mimic stability depended on the sediment properties: spreading root systems performed better in softer sediments, while concentrating root biomass near the trunk improved stability in stronger sediments. An adapted terrestrial tree resistance model reproduced our measurements well, suggesting that such models could be adapted to predict the stability of shallow-rooted mangroves living in waterlogged soils. Field tree-pulling experiments are needed to further confirm our conclusions with real-world data, examine complicating factors like root intertwining, and consider mangrove tree properties like aerial roots. Overall, this work establishes a foundation for incorporating mangrove storm damage into hybrid coastal protection systems.

Keywords: mangrove stability; mangrove overturning; nature-based solutions; coastal protection (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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