resilient by nature - marco pluijm 28062016

Marco Pluijm Independent Specialist Port and Coastal Infrastructure

Source : Wikipedia

Resilient by Nature Climate Change Impact Solutions


Resilient by Nature Climate Change Impact Solu2ons

Introduc3on •  The o5en devasta2ng effects of hurricanes and other climate

change driven extreme events are widely known, also because of the media coverage they get

•  Much less aBen2on goes to those coastal systems, which are able to survive these impacts without too much damage or no significant damage at all, and recover quickly a5erwards

•  Those systems seem to have their own natural resiliency built in,

survive and recover, 2me a5er 2me

•  Resilient by Nature focuses on these systems and on how to translate their capabili2es to places which are more vulnerable and less capable to cope with these events



Resilience •  The ability to prepare for and adapt to changing condi2ons and to

withstand and recover rapidly from one or more disrup2ve events

[Ref. NIST, Towards a More Resilient Community, US Dept. of Commerce, October 2015]



Preparedness and Recovery •  The actual effect of a major extreme event on a

coast is o5en only known once an event happens

•  A5er assessing the damage and cleaning up, it is o5en common prac2ce to rebuild what was damaged or destroyed, usually in a similar way, but stronger. Resiliency translated into structural strength

•  In today’s rapid changing world of climate change induced extreme events, this may no longer be a scenario to choose for



Adapta3on and Resiliency •  Climate Driven Extreme Events seem to come at

us much faster than originally an2cipated for

•  Their occurrence is more frequent, dura2on longer and with increasing intensi2es

•  Response scenario’s need to be flexible enough to encounter these rapid changes and related impacts

•  Stronger is no longer by defini2on the way to go

•  Adap2ve behaviour is what it’s all about and so, natural resiliency



Resilient by Nature •  Resilient by Nature focuses on coastal systems

which are able to survive extreme weather events over and over again, without too much damage or no damage at all, and to recover quickly a5erwards

•  Analyzing these systems and transla2ng their, what seem to be unique features, into more generic processes, dimensions and guidelines

•  Building up a Toolbox with what appear to be adequate and transferable systems or system components, able to deal with climate change impacts

•  To apply them in geographical areas which are not able to cope so well with these climate change phenomena

•  In order to enhance their resiliency in a natural way

Ref : wangateauharbour.org



Ref : Wikipedia

Coastal Systems Analyzed •  Hurricane Shaped Barrier Islands A number of

barrier islands in the Mississippi Delta appear to have a built in natural resilience with regard to frequent hurricane impacts. Their dimensions and and processes can be translated into more generic plan and design guidelines

•  Eco Shields / Mangroves These systems are renowned for their natural resiliency, mainly due to their extensive and spread out root systems. Mangroves are very effec2ve in reducing wave impacts and therefore in protec2ng vulnerable coastlines. They can be grouped into eco-‐shields where condi2ons are favorable an suitable



Ref : ANP Extra

Ref : ntpressoffice.wordpress.com

Coastal Systems Analyzed •  Dune Coasts Like mangroves, dune coasts are

renowned for their natural resiliency. Due to their natural dynamics and flexibility they are able to withstand super-‐storms and recover a5erwards. The physics are well understood and documented in plan-‐ and design guidelines

•  Polder Systems Polders in this respect might seem to be a bit of an odd one, because polders by defini2on are manmade. S2ll in terms of natural resiliency, a lot can be learned from these systems. For instance how their structure of canals, levies and buffers manages to cope with extreme events. When built as eco-‐polders, addi2onal features can be built in to enhance overall extreme event, weather impact resiliency



Ref : USGS

Ref : www.mumm.ac.be/NL/Monitoring

Resilient by Nature Toolbox •  Hurricane Propor3oned Barriers Dauphin Island

type concepts can be translated into hurricane resistant breakwater solu2ons and other coastal infrastructure, elsewhere. Main determining parameters are width, height, length and rela2ve undisturbed flow over and around the barrier island during the event

•  Sequen3al Breakwaters In analogy with natural

sand-‐waves, submerged offshore breakwaters put in sequence, equidistant in rela2on to the wave length, period, direc2on and an2-‐node paBern. Depending on the local condi2ons built as sand banks or as hybrid solu2ons by adding hard substrate (rock/concrete elements) or vegeta2on (eco shields)



Ref : www.mangrovesgy.org/home/

Ref : www.bndestem.nl/foto-‐s/

Ref : www.bndestem.nl/foto-‐s/

Resilient by Nature Toolbox •  Eco-‐shields Strengthening the resiliency of a

natural coastline by means of vegeta2on (mangroves or other), in front of or along a coastline. In case the habitat condi2ons are not directly suitable for such an open vegeta2on solu2on, a combina2on with a contained, eco-‐polder type approach might provide those.

•  Impact Relief Polders as impact relief instrument,

actually meant to get flooded during extreme events. With dikes designed as spilling levies or weirs. Allowing the water to come in controlled, reducing and slowing down the direct impact on the coast behind, while the polder fills up with seawater or storm-‐water run off. Vegeta2on in the polder can enhance the degree of protec2on.



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Ref : www.bndestem.nl/foto-s/

Resilient by Nature Toolbox •  Natural Discharge Polder Apart from reducing

direct wave impacts, a polder can also be used for temporary (storm)water storage and enhanced flushing via controlled discharge. In analogy with a facility which is in use in Germany, at Neßmersiel. Where a polder (or: Spülsee) gets flooded with the daily 2des and discharges each 2me once filled up, keeping the naviga2on channel open for already 30 years. Such (semi-‐) natural, gravity driven storage and flush mechanism can provide relief in flood prone urban areas, mangrove zones, ports and fairways, suffering from (frequent) post event silta2on or accumula2on of post event debris

Ref : www.chec.bj.cn



Resilient by Nature Toolbox •  Offshore Structures / Ports Changes wave

condi2ons are another climate change induced effect. In par2cular the rapid changes in long wave energy. Causing an increase in down2me in affected ports, in par2cular in the handling of container vessels. One of the op2ons to deal with this effect and make these ports more resilient, is to push the affected port infrastructure out to deeper water. In addi2on, during and a5er extreme events, offshore ports can provide the necessary backup in terms of deep-‐water port infrastructure, needed for delivery of goods and equipment immediately a5er an extreme event and to serve as Disaster Mi2ga2on Support Facility.



Connec3ng Landscapes •  Coastal areas usually host a great

deal of func2ons •  Many of them changing their shape

and appearance with 2me •  Being very much a 4-‐Dimensional

environment •  BeBer to talk about changing

landscapes rather than discrete func2ons

•  Naming resiliency capabili2es and needs of coastal areas is done according to the method of “Connec2ng Landscapes”

•  The Greek symbol “δ” stands for variety and change.

Resilient by Nature Example Case / New York

www.ibtimes.com

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey



Inundation

Flooding

Inundated Port Facilities

Hurricane Proportioned Barrier

Impact Relief Eco-Polder

Sequential Breakwaters

Offshore Port Infrastructure

Impact Resilient by Nature Tool



Inundation

Inundation

Flooding




Natural Discharge Polder

Resilient by Nature Example Case / New York (con3nued)


Ref : Plan International Australia

Ref : www.sbs.com.au

Ref : www.wordlbanktravellor



Coastal Erosion

Flooding

Inundation



Mangroves / Eco-Shields

Natural Discharge Polder

Resilient by Nature Example Case / Vanuatu




Economy •  The economics behind what’s feasible or not will mainly be

determined on the basis of what’s already there, how much modifica2on is required and what natural resiliency component(s) to add, including related planning and 2me scales

•  Balanced against the immense costs of the material and immaterial damage each major event causes [Ref. : Hurricane Sandy, 2012, USD 75 Billion]

•  Supported by comprehensive risk assessment and cost/benefit analyses, based on the rapid increase in climate change induced extreme events, rather than steady growth along trend lines

•  The Resilient by Nature approach is flexible, fully scalable to local needs, means and possibili2es, thanks to its unique natural system based characteris2cs

Source : Daily News

Source : Daily News



Conclusions (1) •  Climate change induced extreme weather events, such as

hurricanes, come at much greater pace and intensity than so far was an2cipated for

•  As a consequence of which the affected coastal zones are more

vulnerable than expected, thus o5en facing massive damages •  However, some coastal systems seem to be able to survive these

extreme events over and over again, without too much damage or no damage at all

•  These systems have been taken as base for the Resilient by Nature

approach

Source : Daily News

Source : Daily News



Conclusions (2) •  Transla2ng the characteris2cs of those natural systems into

solu2ons for equally exposed, less resilient areas elsewhere

•  Stronger is no longer by defini2on the way to go. Adap2ve behaviour is what it’s all about and so, natural resiliency.

•  Resilient by Nature provides the tools and experience to do so in a tailor made, phased and scalable, sustainable and cost effec2ve manner

Reference : “Resilient by Nature, Climate Change Extreme Event Impact Resilient Coastal Infrastructure, an Innova2ve Approach”, Marco Pluijm, June 2016

For more informa2on : [email protected]

resilient by nature - marco pluijm 28062016

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