Wenping (Angela) Jiang

PhD Candidate

Madsen Building (F09), Room 412
Phone: +61 2 9036 6545
Fax: +61 2 9036 6588
Email:

Supervisor
Dr Peter Cowell

Associate Supervisors
Dr Ana Vila-Concejo
Dr Craig Allery
Dr Roshanka Ranasinghe

Research

PhD Title: Numerical Modelling of Flood-tide Delta Morphodynamics at Port Stephens, New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

Flood tide deltas are one of the most dynamic features of estuarine systems and often cause instability along adjacent shorelines. My thesis focuses on the morphodynamic processes operating at Port Stephens, which is located about 230 km north of Sydney on the southeast coast of Australia and is one of the most popular tourist destinations on the NSW coastline. It opens to the sea between two headlands and is hydrodynamically dominated by ocean waves and a semi-diurnal tide regime. Port Stephens has a well developed flood tide delta and both of the adjacent shorelines (Jimmys beach to the North and Shoal Bay to the South) are experiencing ongoing erosion.

The overarching aim of my thesis is to use sophisticated 1D, 2D and 3D numerical models to examine the morphodynamic relationships between the flood tide delta and the adjacent shorelines.

The numerical modelling will be undertaken using DHI’s Mike21 model suite. Specifically, Mike21 NSW will be used to simulate wave processes while Mike21 HD will be used to simulate tidal, wind and wave driven currents. Mike21 ST will be used strategically to determine sediment transport pathways and develop sediment budgets for the delta/shoreline systems within Port Stephens. All models will be verified using existing wave/current data and data being collected through the field experiment program being implemented as part of Mr. Tim Austin’s PhD project.

Upon comprehensive model verification, a series of model simulations will be undertaken to examine:

• Existing sediment transport pathways and sediment budgets in the outer bay of Port Stephens;
• Dominant processes governing sediment transport pathways and delta/shoreline morphodynamics;
• System response to extreme events (eg. extreme floods, storm surge, wind);
• System response to climate change driven variations in environmental forcing parameters (eg. Sea level rise, increase/decrease in storm occurrence/wave height, shifting of dominant swell wave direction);
• The efficacy of selected hard engineering options in combating shoreline erosion under current and future climate scenarios.