Banca de DEFESA: LUCAS DE OLIVEIRA CAMPOS

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : LUCAS DE OLIVEIRA CAMPOS
DATE: 29/08/2025
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: online
TITLE:

Engineering Interventions on Urban Beaches: Assessing the Impacts of Hard Structures on the Coastal Dynamics of Tropical Embayments

KEY WORDS:

SMC-Brasil; coastal morphodynamics; hard stabilization; numerical modeling; urban beaches; coastal erosion.

PAGES: 110
BIG AREA: Engenharias
AREA: Engenharia Civil
SUMMARY:

Intensified erosion in urbanized coastal environments has prompted the increasing adoption of hard stabilization structures to protect coastal infrastructure. While offering immediate benefits, such interventions can trigger adverse effects on the morphodynamic equilibrium of beaches, particularly in tropical embayments where shoreline geometry amplifies sensitivity to changes in the hydro-sedimentary regime. The installation of seawalls, rock revetments, and modular structures in sectors of high energy or sedimentary vulnerability can induce processes such as scour, wave reflection, alteration of the beach cross-shore profile, and a functional disconnection between the sea and the urban space.

This study investigates the morphodynamic impacts of implementing a segmented hard stabilization structure along the stretch between Ponta Negra Beach and the Via Costeira in Natal-RN, Brazil—an urban embayment of significant touristic and environmental importance. The area features multiple types of stabilization structures, including reinforced concrete seawalls, granite rock revetments, and, more recently, a system of interlocking precast concrete blocks. Based on the geomorphological, geotechnical, and oceanographic characterization of the area, the physical parameters of these structures were integrated into a numerical model using the Brazilian Coastal Modeling System (SMC-Brasil), specifically through its MOPLA (Shoreline Evolution Model) and PETRA (Beach Cross-shore Profile Evolution Model) modules. By comparing scenarios with and without the intervention, the computational modeling allowed for an assessment of the redistribution of hydrodynamic energy and the sedimentary response of the coastal system to the presence of the structures. The model utilized bathymetric and topographic data, time series of waves, tides, and currents, as well as technical field inspections. The results indicate that, despite their localized technical efficiency in halting shoreline retreat, the hard solution can generate side effects such as intensified downdrift erosion, impaired cross-shore connectivity, and a loss of morphological resilience in adjacent sectors. This study reinforces the importance of using numerical modeling tools integrated with real-world datasets to support coastal management and the planning of engineering works in urban littoral zones. The findings presented herein support a more critical and predictive approach to the use of hard stabilization structures in tropical embayments, contributing to more sustainable decisions in addressing coastal erosion.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 350698 - VENERANDO EUSTAQUIO AMARO
Externa à Instituição - LÍVIAN RAFAELY DE SANTANA GOMES PINHEIRO
Externa à Instituição - MARIA DE FATIMA ALVES DE MATOS