Author(s): Lihwa Lin, Zeki Demirbilek, Mohammad S. Islam

Linked Author(s): Zeki Demirbilek

Keywords: Coastal; Ship channel; Numerical modeling;

Abstract: This paper describes details of applying the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Coastal Modeling System (CMS) to estimate water surface elevation, current velocity, and wave height for Corpus Christi Ship Channel (CCSC) Improvement Project. The modeling effort includes typical seasonal wind waves from south, southeast, and north directions affecting the study area and Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The effect of deeper and wider channel proposed in the CCSC improvement project to waves and water levels in Corpus Christi Bay is overall small. Model current velocities along CCSC in Corpus Christi Bay are generally weak, less than 0.3 m/sec, as influenced by tides, wind waves, bay circulation and occasional storm events. Model results show currents along CCSC can increase by 0.1 to 0.2 m/sec with the project, especially under high wind and wave conditions in April and December 2017, and during Harvey. A 50-year sea level rise (SLR) condition was also simulated in the modeling. For the 50-year SLR, model currents along CCSC can increased by 5 to 10 percent from conditions without SLR. The effect of this SLR with the CCSC improvement project to wave heights and water levels in the bay is minimal.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3850/38WC092019-1063

Year: 2019