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INSTRUCTORS:
Cyrus D. Bahman
Arpit Agarwal, P.E.
Gregory Guannel, Ph.D.
Nobuhisa Kobayashi
Course Length: 1 hour
Purpose and Background
These presentations were recorded at the International Conference on Coastal Engineering 2026.
Geophysical Analysis of Shelly Carbonate Sands to Assess Geomorphological Change (14 minutes)
This presentation examines how geophysical techniques can be used to evaluate changes in shell-rich coastal deposits and their influence on shoreline stability. Participants will learn about chenier plains, their formation mechanisms, and their role in reducing coastal erosion. The session introduces the application of Active MASW (Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves) for characterizing near-surface stiffness and subsurface layering in carbonate sand environments. Attendees will compare areas with varying levels of breakwater protection and assess how these interventions influence sediment properties over time. The presentation discusses challenges associated with resolving thin shell layers over soft marsh deposits. Engineers will gain insight into linking geophysical measurements with coastal geomorphic processes and erosion vulnerability. The findings support improved assessment of shoreline resilience and coastal management strategies.
Strategic Crevasse Management for Sustainability of River Delta (16 minutes)
This presentation investigates how strategic management of crevasses can improve sediment distribution and sustainability within a large river delta system. Participants will learn about the challenges of balancing land building, navigation requirements, and sediment management in the Mississippi River Delta. The session uses long-term morphodynamic simulations to evaluate alternative crevasse management strategies. Attendees will examine how selective opening and closure of crevasses influence channel shoaling, sediment diversion, and marsh development. The presentation explores tradeoffs between maximizing land creation and reducing maintenance dredging requirements. Engineers will gain insight into the complex interactions among river hydraulics, distributary channels, and delta evolution. The findings provide valuable guidance for long-term delta restoration planning.
Beach Conversion and Infrastructure Path Dependence in the U.S. Virgin Islands (16 minutes)
This presentation examines the evolving relationship between beaches, tourism development, infrastructure, and community resilience in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Participants will learn how beaches function not only as natural systems but also as social, economic, and cultural infrastructure. The session applies a coupled infrastructure systems framework to evaluate interactions among natural, built, social, human, and governance systems. Attendees will compare different development pathways across St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. The presentation discusses how tourism-driven development can influence adaptive capacity and long-term resilience. Engineers and planners will gain perspective on incorporating social dimensions into coastal resilience planning. The findings highlight the importance of understanding infrastructure path dependence when evaluating adaptation strategies.
Cross-Shore Sediment Transport Rate Based on Equilibrium Beach Profile Concept (18 minutes)
This presentation presents a simplified approach for estimating cross-shore sediment transport rates using equilibrium beach profile theory. Participants will learn how beach profile measurements can provide insight into sediment transport processes without requiring extensive wave data. The session combines laboratory experiments, theoretical development, and field validation studies to evaluate model performance. Attendees will examine how profile shape relative to equilibrium influences onshore and offshore sediment transport. The presentation explores applications to beach nourishment, storm recovery, and long-term shoreline evolution. Engineers will gain practical understanding of equilibrium profile concepts and their role in predicting beach response. The findings demonstrate how simplified approaches can support engineering decisions in data-limited environments.
Benefits and Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Explain how geophysical surveys can be used to assess coastal sediment stiffness and geomorphological change.
- Discuss how crevasse management strategies influence sediment distribution, land building, and channel maintenance in river deltas.
- Identify how interactions among natural, social, and built infrastructure influence coastal resilience outcomes.
- Describe how equilibrium beach profile concepts can be used to estimate cross-shore sediment transport and beach evolution.
Assessment of Learning Outcomes
Students' achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed via a short post-test assessment (true-false, multiple choice, and/or fill in the blank questions).
Who Should Attend?
- Coastal Engineer
- Civil Engineer
- Coastal Scientist
- Coastal Resilience Program Manager
- Government Coastal Zone Manager
- University Student or Researcher
How to Earn your CEUs/PDHs and Receive Your Certificate of Completion
To receive your certificate of completion, you will need to complete a short on-line post-test and receive a passing score of 70% or higher within 365 days of the course purchase.
How do I convert CEUs to PDHs?
1.0 CEU = 10 PDHs [Example: 0.1 CEU = 1 PDH]