NCU IHOS Seminar Announcement

Title：Wave Attenuation by Mangroves: Progress and Future Challenges 
 

Speaker：Assistant Prof. Yu-Lin Tsai

Department of Civil Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University 
 

Time：04/21（Tue.）14：00

Place：S-325, Science Building 1

Abstract：

　　Green infrastructures, categorized as Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) or Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR), have gained significant attention for their role in mitigating coastal natural hazards. Among these, mangroves are recognized for their efficiency in dissipating wave energy and contributing to climate resilience. However, accurately quantifying their protective capacity remains a challenge due to the complex structural geometries of different species. This presentation highlights recent progress in numerical modeling through the development of a vegetation module within a fully nonlinear Boussinesq framework, known as FUNWAVE-VEG. This model enables the simulation of individual wave propagation over vegetated areas and calculates wave-averaged statistics while accounting for complex root and trunk geometries. Focusing on Rhizophora mangroves, characterized by their unique prop root systems, we demonstrate that using drag and inertia coefficients derived from direct force experiments leads to high predictive accuracy for wave height attenuation. Despite these advancements, several future challenges remain. Significant uncertainties persist when parameterizing drag and inertia coefficients relative to Reynolds and Keulegan–Carpenter numbers, particularly in the trailing edges of mangrove forests and under partial submergence conditions. Addressing these hydrodynamic uncertainties and scaling up from controlled flume experiments to heterogeneous real-world coastal environments represents the next frontier in NbS research. This talk will discuss how integrated modeling and experimental approaches can provide the quantitative evidence needed to optimize mangrove restoration for coastal protection.