Date of Award

Summer 9-1-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Coastal and Marine Systems Science

College

College of Science

First Advisor

Shaowu Bao

Second Advisor

Len Pietrafesa

Third Advisor

Xiaofeng Li

Additional Advisors

Varavut Limpasuvan; Paul T. Gayes

Abstract

Researchers and the public now widely recognize the seriousness of coastal flood risks. Various changes in natural processes, such as altered rainfall patterns, increased tropical cyclone intensities, and sea-level rise, are consequences of global warming induced by heightened greenhouse gas concentrations. To comprehensively understand coastal compound flooding, it is crucial to consider multiple processes and their interactions. Moreover, the growth of coastal cities and the concentration of people and assets in these areas make them increasingly vulnerable to flooding events. Accurately estimating the future flood risks faced by coastal communities necessitates addressing the compounding effects on coastal flood risk, taking into account not only natural driving factors like storms, sea-level rise, and rainfall, but also human factors, such as population and economy. This study aims to investigate the hypothesis that human factors can influence present and future coastal flooding risks as much as natural factors, and to advance the understanding of coastal compound flood hazards. A coupled modeling framework was developed to simulate coastal compound flooding, incorporating both inland river systems and coastal processes. An indicator was devised to estimate coastal flood risk that accounts for the impact of both natural processes and human activities. The results indicate that coastal compound flooding is a localized, coincidental issue, with the timing of various factors' convergence playing a critical role in flood occurrence. The severity of coastal floods depends on the interaction of natural factors and their compounded effects, as well as the extent of vulnerability associated with population growth and GDP increase. In northeastern South Carolina, the interplay between sea-level rise and upstream discharge significantly intensifies compound coastal flooding, thereby exacerbating potential flood hazards in the future. Over the past 20 years, flood risk has consistently increased due to the escalating vulnerability of coastal communities to coastal floods.

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