Modeling wave-surge effects on barrier-island breaching in St. Joseph Peninsula during Hurricane Michael

Mengdi Ma, Wenrui Huang (), Linoj Vijayan and Sungmoon Jung
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Mengdi Ma: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University
Wenrui Huang: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University
Linoj Vijayan: Louisiana State University
Sungmoon Jung: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University

Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, 2024, vol. 120, issue 15, No 20, 14199-14226

Abstract: Abstract Better understanding the effects of hurricane waves and storm surges on barrier-island breaching is important for both scientific research and coastal hazard mitigations. In this study, the 2D non-hydrostatic Xbeach model has been applied to investigate interactions of hurricane wave, storm surge, and morphological processes in the case study of St. Joseph Peninsula during Category 5 Hurricane Michael. Model validations show a 2.45% average error and the 0.88 skill score between modeled and observed high water marks and bed elevations, respectively. Analysis of spatial distributions of currents and water levels indicates that a narrow area was overtopped at peak storm surge and wave. The gap was then quickly enlarged as the breaching area by wave-surge actions. By investigating foredune and peak dune along the central axis of breaching area, it shows that the foredune erosion on the ocean-side by wave-surge-current directly lead to the breach of the peak dune area in the barrier island. The Froude number shows a strong correlation with quick erosion of the barrier, indicating wave-surge supercritical flow is one of the major factors causing the barrier breaching. Results of cross sections of bed elevations and instantaneous surge-wave profiles at different storm surge stages reveal the evolution of the barrier-island breach. Results from this study provide valuable references for coastal hazard mitigation and resilience communities.

Keywords: Barrier island; Breaching; Erosion; Hurricane; Storm surge; Wave; XBeach model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1007/s11069-024-06768-x

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